Long Term Hearts
by Trafalgar's Pet
Summary: Law's childhood friend has gone through thick and thin with him, now after many years of separation, they've found each other in the one place where Straw Hat Luffy slugs a Dragon. Now that the Straw Hats have been split up by the Warlord Bartholomew Kuma, Yukimi ends up in the care of the one and only Surgeon of Death.
1. Broken Greetings

**~Well this is painful... It's been forever since I've last did anything on here! Well, I'm back after a three year absence from writing! But over the last two years, I've really been into One Piece, hence my new username lol. Gotta love him! Anyway, I hope you enjoy Long Term Hearts and please do leave a review, _I live off them, feeding off them for inspiration!_**

 _ **Long Term Hearts**_

 _ **Chapter 1: Broken Greetings**_

 ************^.^************

Dew Yukimi readjusted her makeshift hoodie sling around her right arm. She growled at herself, soft white, black tipped ears twitching in irritation while her two identical tails bristled in response. ' _How could I have been stupid enough to stumble into a camp of bandits?_ ' The kitsune ground her teeth together as she continued down a dirt road to what she believed to be a city called White Town, Flevance.

After a minute or two of fuming at life, Yukimi's ears twitched at the sound of a babbling brook nearby. The kitsune licked her lips at the watery sound. Following the calming nature music, Yukimi soon found the small brook hidden behind some bushes. Growing around the source of water were new wildflower buds peeking out of their cozy soil beds, seeking the midday warmth of the bright sun above, spelling out that springtime was back after a long cold winter. The albino felt a sigh slip through parched lips. "At least I've found a bit of a break," she mumbled as she fished out her dried up canteen from her ration's pouch on her hip. Yup, after having a run in with those mountain bandits, Yukimi forgot to replenish her canteen at a river that was close by. Now having gone a day without any precious H2O, let's just say the kitsune was running out of steam. That, and low on food rations too.

Yukimi dipped her empty canteen into the cool clear water, briefly enjoying the feel of the transparent liquid on her skin. She giggled softly as some small minnows scattered from her overshadowing silhouette. Now looking at her reflection, the kitsune noticed that she had a large cut going down her left cheek coming from beneath her bangs covering her left eye with dried blood smeared across her pale skin, causing her to frown. ' _It's a good thing that cut didn't reach my eye_.' Rolling her red eyes at that she looked again at her watery mirrored self. Dirt and sweat mingled with flecks of dried blood across her face. ' _What a mess I am_ ,' Yukimi thought as she put aside her now full canteen. The kitsune splashed some water on her face and rubbed away all the blood and grime from her skin. Then the albino pulled out a small white ocarina connected to a brass chain, out from underneath her black tank top collar. Rubbing her thumb over the smooth surface, Yukimi scrunched up her nose at the grime on her precious instrument. She took it off and plunged it into the clear water, watching the air bubbles escape through the holes. After a minute Yukimi took out the clean instrument and wiped it as dry as she could with one hand on her blue denim shorts. The kitsune smiled at her now dried instrument before putting it back around her neck.

"Right," the worn kitsune muttered to herself. "Time to try and find a doctor," she said with less enthusiasm as she stood up and began walking away from the scenic brook while knocking off some loose mud from her brown combat boots.

About an hour later, now early evening, Yukimi walked past the open elegant gates of White Town, Flevance. ' _It's so white here. I wonder why? It's definitely beautiful._ ' Shaking her head Yukimi quickly ran into an alley away from prying eyes. Yes, she was feeling nervous in a new environment alone. Rather childish but when you're badly injured and down on your luck, you'd feel pretty anxious too. Especially when having two bushy white, black tipped tails is definitely out of the ordinary in a city like this.

"Now where should I go from here…?" Yukimi shivered slightly when a cool breeze swept through her thin black tank top. "Wish I could wear my hoodie, it's still chilly from winter in this area," the kitsune grumbled as she leaned against the side of a building. Yukimi frowned more annoyed at her light blue hoodie holding up her injured right arm. Doing rather a poor job at that since it was a short sleeved hoodie and not a long sleeved one. That, and it was torn in some places from her accidental intrusion into that camp earlier.

The albino quickly moved down through more back alleys after fixing her so called sling the best she could. ' _Now where to find a doctor's building? I rather not but…_ ' Yukimi stopped between a couple of crates beside a door to what might be a restaurant or whatever, she couldn't tell at the moment. Yukimi felt the fur on her two bushy, white, black tipped tails bristle. The thought of men of science looking at her like a brand new specimen horrified her, a member of the old and proud race of kitsune. Like the fishmen and merfolk, the kitsune species were discriminated because of their differences. Unlike the other races, the kitsune were land dwellers along with humans and so people didn't so largely believe in contagious diseases that could be passed from them. But that still didn't stop them from treating her people like animals and-

"What are you doing there?"

Yukimi was shaken from her train of thought so suddenly, she jumped in fright and accidentally transformed into her fox form in a puff a smoke. "Ahh!" Her cry was of both shock and pain filled. Here's a tip, if you have a broken limb, never change your physical body structure. _It is very painful._

Yukimi landed on her stomach, withering in pain from her messed up bones being forced into different positions in her body. The now little white fox glanced through squinted eyelids seeing her right foreleg mangled. Her light blue short sleeved hoodie no longer barely supporting her injury after having been absorbed by her transformation energy. The fox's ears twitched at the sound of shuffling. She tensed at the presence of someone inching closer to her.

"Hey, you're hurt. My parents can help you, they're doctors."

Yukimi instinctively curled her tails around herself to cover her wound that carried over from her human form. She peeked over the top of her tails at the boy before her. The boy couldn't have been more than 10 years old by the looks of him. He had what appeared to be a school uniform on and an odd looking fuzzy hat up top his head, slightly covering his gray eyes. Yukimi mentally shook her head before scooting away slowly. Could she trust him? The fox never liked going into places blind as a bat when incapacitated like she was now.

The boy crouched down and frowned at her reaction to his statement. He then extended a hand out to her, "I can help you if you'd let me."

Yukimi stilled her painful scooting. She gripped the ground with her claws anxiously. "...How can I trust you?" the fox asked slowly.

The boy paused before smirking a little, "You don't."

Yukimi looked into the boy's gray eyes finding no ill will toward her, only a promise of medical aid. She raised her head above her tails and sniffed his hand, double checking. Yukimi looked back into stormy gray eyes now finding a child like curiosity beside his promise. The fox then smiled a little, knowing better than to listen to her doubts about the boy. "Okay, I'll believe you."

The boy let out a breath he didn't realize he was holding. The person or animal before him was definitely injured and needed help. He once read how wounded animals react to unknown people before when scared and unable to escape. So he knew to act calm and show patience to this obviously cornered odd looking fox.

Before Yukimi could stand up on her own, the boy held out his hat to her. She raised a brow up at the boy, now seeing his black messy hair.

"I can carry you in my hat. You are in no condition to walk on your own yet, even on four legs."

Yukimi rotated her ears back a little at what he said, "I was walking just fine on my own before you decided to announce your presence." And to make her stubborn point, the fox started to limp around the outstretched fuzzy hat. But before she could make two steps, a pair of hands wrapped around her torso, then gently placed her inside the fur hat.

"Yes you were but, that was in your human form now wasn't it, Vixen-ya?" the boy countered as he stood back up with his hat turned basket in his arms, not noticing the slight scowl on the fox's face.

Yukimi huffed as she rested her chin on the thick round rim, ears folded back in annoyance. "Kid, my name isn't Vixen-ya, it's Dew Yukimi," the fox corrected as she blew at a tuft of fur out of the rim of her eye only for it to fall back in place.

The boy chuckled, "And my name isn't 'kid', my name is Trafalgar Law."

*^.^*

Yukimi lowered her ears with growing nerves at the sight of the large hospital in front of her and the boy, Law. ' _Fuck, I hate hospitals_.'

Law noticed the fox's body becoming stiff. "Are you nervous?" the boy asked as he walked through the front doors.

' _I just don't have the right nerves to walk inside one confidently_ ,' Yukimi thought before replying to the boy. "I don't want to cause any trouble here Law," the fox said looking back at him then returning her red gaze to the front.

Law walked down the corridors knowing where to find his parents. "How can you cause trouble Yukimi-ya? You're not a pirate, are you?" he asked with a slight smirk.

The fox let out a slight snort, "I am indeed no pirate." Yukimi watched as they passed by several doors leading to patients' rooms. "I'm by no means a criminal but, as you have witnessed earlier, I'm not a human either," Yukimi muttered loud enough for Law to hear as she looked ahead as they neared a door at the end of the long hallway.

"Well I doubt you will cause trouble here," Law replied back as he shifted his hat into one hand and grab the door handle with the other.

"And how can you be so sure?" Yukimi asked in a flat tone.

"Mother, Father, I'm back. And I've brought a new patient too."

A man and a woman in doctor's coats turned from a desk with open medical books at the sound of Law's voice.

"Oh, a patient son?" his father asked with a raised brow.

Law's mother then noticed that her son wasn't wearing his favorite hat but holding it, with a white fox in it. "What do you have there dear?" she asked kneeling in front of Law and Yukimi.

Said fox sat there stiff as a board as she was looked over by Law's mother. Yukimi quickly realized that at the angle the woman was looking down from, she couldn't see her extra tail as it was directly below her other furry appendage.

"A fox? Where did you find it? They're not native here. Maybe someone's lost pet?" Mr. Trafalgar wondered looking over to his wife.

Law watched in amazement as Yukimi's face blanched if that was possible due to her snow white fur. "She's no one's pet," he quickly said.

Mrs. Trafalgar ran the back of her fingers over Yukimi's head before looking at Law, "Are you sure dear? She may be a tourist's missing pet."

Yukimi buried her face as far down Law's hat as she could, not wanting this particular train of thought to continue in the parents' conversation. ' _Don't listen, okay Yukimi? Just don't listen. You are not in a hospital in front of two people who don't know better. You are back outside kicking mountain bandits' asses,_ ' the fox thought as her face disappeared from everyone's view.

"Oh dear, she must be nervous in front of so many strangers," Mrs. Trafalgar then shooed her husband back as he getting too close to Yukimi's face.

Law frowned watching Yukimi seemingly drift away from his nosey parents. He walked over to the desk with the open medical books before sitting down in the chair next to it. The surgeon in training gently placed his hat in his lap then looked back up to his parents. "Mother, Father, her name is Yukimi-ya and her foreleg is badly fractured," he explained as his parents came closer to inspect. Law gently pulled Yukimi's front from his hat, holding her up against his chest so her front limbs didn't touch anything else.

"Oh no! The poor thing," Mrs. Trafalgar murmured as she examined the fox's foreleg. It was broken alright and the dried blood all over Yukimi's foreleg made her white fur all sticky and an ugly pink.

"Law, I'm not sure we can help her. She's a fox, we're not veterinarians," Mr. Trafalgar frowned at the injury.

Before Law could say anything else, Yukimi lifted her head toward the parents directly and spoke for the first there, "Please, I need help Mr. and Mrs. Trafalgar. I apologize for not speaking earlier for I have my reasons. But I need your help."

"What the-?"

"Please! I'd be in my human form if I could to make things easier but," Yukimi looked over her shoulder at their son, "Law kinda spooked me earlier and I accidentally turned into my fox form." She turned back to the parents. "Uhm, I must stress that I cannot change back like this. Do you know how painful it is to change forms when having an injury?"

"...Uhm well, can't say I do," Mrs. Trafalgar answered after a minute of gathering her wits from the sudden load of new and unexpected information. She then elbowed her still silent husband.

"Oh uh, I-I apologize for what I said earlier," Mr. Trafalgar replied sheepishly.

"So will you help Yukimi-ya?" asked Law.

Mrs. Trafalgar glanced at her husband before she smiled at them, "Of course we will dear."

Yukimi then started smiling back, "Oh thank you, how can I ever repay you?"

"Oh don't worry about that sweety. Uh, honey?" Mrs. Trafalgar paused from gathering up a clipboard, finding her husband was off in la-la-land.

"Wha-oh I'm sorry, I just couldn't help but notice you have, another tail Yukimi," Mr. Trafalgar stammered in interest. He only now noticed it because Law shifted in his seat, unintentionally revealing her second tail.

"Uh yes, I'm a kitsune, Mr. Trafalgar," Yukimi explained with a nervous grin.

Mrs. Trafalgar rolled her eyes, "That's nice and everything, but I suggest we take some X-rays before we decide on how to help our patient."

Mr. Trafalgar scratched his neck, smiling a bit embarrassed, "Right honey."

Yukimi grinned at the married couple before laughing a little in amusement, "You have good parents Law."

The boy rolled his eyes in turn as he placed the fox back in his hat, following his parents out the door.

*^.^*

"So that's why I couldn't move my hand very much…" Yukimi sat on the examination table, ears drooping at the X-ray picture of her right foreleg. It was snapped just below the elbow, wonderful. Law was beside her, looking at her new medical record on a clipboard. "So when can I change forms again Mr. Trafalgar?" Yukimi asked anxiously, glancing at her leg in the sling they've given to her to use.

"Hm, about two months after the operation," he replied.

"That long?!" the fox practically dropped her head onto the table. She sighed heavily, "Well, better than a year I suppose." Yukimi looked at the couple for a moment before speaking again. "I know you're not vets and only work with human patients but, I cannot express how grateful I am for you helping me out. Even though I'm in this type of body for the operation."

"Now don't you worry a thing Yukimi. It's only one section of bone that needs to be operated on and besides," Mrs. Trafalgar smiled reassuringly, "the section is very similar to our bone structure. So it shouldn't be too much trouble to fix." Law's mother glanced at the clock on the wall then back to the fox on the examination table, "We have an opening for your operation later tonight. We can knock it out and you'll be in recovery in a cinch. The sooner, the better right?" Mrs. Trafalgar said cheerfully as she walked around the table towards her son. "It's almost dinner time, so why don't you go get something to eat?"

Law nodded as he adjusted the sling better on the white fox.

"Man I'm hungry…" Yukimi muttered as she remembered that she didn't have much food left in her rations. Not to mention that her stomach chose such poor timing to agree.

"Hungry Yukimi-ya?" Law asked.

The fox couldn't help licking her lips as the image of food popped into her mind. "I hadn't been able to eat very much all day. So yeah, I'm hungry," Yukimi gave the boy an annoyed look.

"Sorry Yukimi, but you can't have anything to eat until after the operation. It's standard procedure," Mr. Trafalgar stated with sympathy, making the fox groan unhappily.

"But you can drink water for now," Law mentioned getting a small smile from the fox.

"Well, that'll do I guess. I just wish I could have that operation now," Yukimi muttered as Law picked her up and walked out of the room.

As Law walked down the corridor he glanced at the doors of patient rooms until he found one that was vacant. A smile appeared on his face as he opened the door to confirm it was indeed empty. "You'll stay here while I get my dinner Yukimi-ya, okay?" Law placed her down on the tile floor before leaving, shutting the door behind him.

Yukimi huffed still feeling annoyed as she did a once over of the room she was in. There wasn't much in the room that piqued her interest, only finding the hospital bed inviting to her weary limbs. So not wanting to be on the floor, the fox limped over to the bed in the small room. Yukimi crouched as best she could with that sling on before springing onto the bed. She had a wobbly landing but she stuck with it.

Just as she sat down Law came back in with his dinner tray. It took him a moment to locate her on the bed. "Now what are you doing? These beds are supposed to be clean when a new patient comes in," he stated as he placed his tray on a bedside table so he could cross his arms.

"Well, aren't we forgetting something?" Yukimi said grinning. "Aren't _I_ a new patient?" she countered.

Law sighed before hopping up next to her and grabbed his tray to eat. The boy sat cross legged with the tray in his lap while Yukimi made herself comfortable. As Law opened a juice box with a straw, he noticed how hungry the fox next to him looked, staring at the food on his lap. "When was the last time you ate, Yukimi-ya?" he asked as he sipped his drink.

"An actual meal? Well, probably four...five maybe? About fiveish days ago I believe. I've been living on my rations' rations for days before I came here," Yukimi admitted as she looked away, recalling before putting her attention back on Law. The fox glanced at the food again then groaned in irritation before finally wrapping her tails around her legs, trying to take her mind off food. As hard as it was.

Law frowned hearing this as he paused eating his meatloaf. "Tell me more about yourself. It'll help take your mind off food."

Yukimi snorted as she smelled that hot meal next to her. "That would be very hard since I have a higher sense of smell than a human's. But…sure I'll talk," the fox shrugged as she remembered that childlike curiosity in his eyes earlier. "Well I was born like any other ordinary fox, but into a race called the kitsune. The kitsune is a race of foxes that live far longer than any other species and can gain abilities as we age."

"How long is their life expectancy Yukimi-ya?" Law asked placing his tray down on the table beside them.

"Forever."

Law's eyes widened, totally surprised as his mouth hung open.

Yukimi couldn't help herself but laugh at the boy's reaction, getting a frown in response. "Okay okay okay, I jest, I jest. Sorry, had to," the fox laughed.

Law deadpanned. "Well? What is the answer then?" he asked again seeing the fox's mischievous red eyes glinting in amusement. Something telling him he'll never forget the look in them.

"Oh usually a thousand years I believe," Yukimi answered casually as she saw something very brief flash in the boy's gray eyes before it disappeared, making her think she was imagining things.

It took a moment for Law to see the white fox before him, was actually telling the truth now, "So how old are you Yukimi-ya?"

Yukimi frowned as she narrowed her eyes dangerously, pinned her ears flat against her head and growled at the boy, showing off her fangs, "Young man, you should know better than to ask a lady a question like that. Why, if I was in my human form I'd be pinching your cheek as I speak." At the flat look on Law's face, she burst out laughing even more than before. "Oh man, that was too funny!" She was laughing so hard she toppled over onto her back, tears trailing down her furry cheeks.

The next thing the fox knew, she was lifted up by the scruff of her neck and looking into a pair of very annoyed stormy gray eyes glaring her down. Yukimi curled her tails into herself in surrender as she pulled out her apologetic grin. "Uh...eh heh heh heh...I'm 284 years old. Uhm," she swallowed as her ears drooped in a more submissive look, "I've never really been a 'lady' so to speak either…"

"Yukimi-ya, don't talk in circles," Law said placing the fox in his lap.

Yukimi glanced at Law's dinner tray still very much hungry. There was still some food there, mainly a roll of bread. "You're not gonna eat that?" The fox felt a breath of warm air shift the furs on the top of her head, making her look up and raise a brow. He had the look of disgust written all over his face. "What? I didn't do anything this time."

"I hate bread and before you ask why I have it, it's only because the cafeteria lady put it there by mistake. I didn't realize it was there until I was out of line," Law grumbled.

Yukimi tilted her head in thought. "Hate bread? Well everyone has a preference," she shrugged. The fox felt a small blush cross her white furry cheeks as another growl escaped her stomach. "Hey, did your parents say I could have water?"

Law pinched the bridge of his nose as he remembered he had forgotten to get the fox a drink while he was getting his dinner. It couldn't be helped though! After all, when was the last time a shape shifting fox was a new patient for his parents or the fact that he was the one to have found her? ' _I still shouldn't have forgotten to get her something she wanted! What kind of doctor would I be if I did something like that on a regular basis with other patients in the future?_ '

Yukimi felt the familiar feeling of a pair of hands wrapping around her torso, before being placed back on the bed.

"I'll be right back," Law muttered as he left the room. Not two minutes after did the boy return with a foam cup in his hand. Law climbed back on the bed before placing the fox back in his lap, finding he rather liked having the soft furry fox in his lap. "Here's your water, sorry I forgot," Law lifted the foam cup to her.

Yukimi frowned a little as she stared at the cup. "...Do you have a straw I could use? I'm afraid the water might spill if I try drinking like this."

Law lowered the cup as he looked around the room, "Uhm…"

"Mind I use yours? You're done with your drink right?" Yukimi asked looking over at Law's empty juice box.

"That's a used straw Yukimi-ya," Law stated. "It's not sanitary to use someone else's straw."

Yukimi turned her head toward Law with a flat look, "Do you have the flu?"

"What? No, of course not."

"Then I won't catch anything," Yukimi countered.

Law felt his eyes rolling as he reached over, grabbed the straw from the juice box and dropped it into the water filled foam cup. "Are you usually high maintenance?" Law asked as he watched the fox quickly drink the cup dry.

Yukimi let a very satisfied sigh out. "I don't think I am. I was only thinking practical."

Gray eyes looked over to the sling on the fox, "What happened to you anyway, Yukimi-ya?"

Yukimi's ears lowered slightly before sighing, "Well I guess I can start with my profession," she mumbled. "My line of work is a dangerous one like a mercenary's, though I am not one. You see I am a ninja, a shinobi if you will. So I'm basically a freelancer. I just don't like being called a mercenary, sounds too military."

"Ninja?" Law repeated in awe.

"That's right, and with my latest job I ended up a little overwhelmed. I was told it would be a really tough job. Well, I thought I could handle it no problem. Wrong. I completed it alright but well, an enemy got ahold of me. And before I could shake him off, he broke my arm. I was then pulled into a rough tussle with him before I managed to kill the creep afterward," Yukimi said looking annoyed that she was caught off guard like she was. "Definitely learned not to underestimate the nature of things."

"Wow," Law can only imagine how painful getting a broken bone must feel. "So what did you mean by a kitsune can gain new abilities as they age?"

"Oh, well like I mentioned before, I was born like an ordinary fox. So when a kitsune finally reach their 50th birthday, they can transform into a human with fox attributes like fox ears and a tail. With each century the kitsune lives through, they gain a new tail and each tail enables the kitsune a new power to wield," Yukimi finished with a wave of each one of her tails to prove her point.

"So what are your abilities?"

"Well changing between my fox and human forms is one. The other is where my profession comes into play. My other ability is chakra flow."

"What's chakra?"

Yukimi thought for a minute on how to explain chakra to him. "Well...chakra is a type of energy that flows in and through all living things in the world. You see, it's kinda like blood in a sense. All flora and fauna in the world have chakra. It's those that learn and know how to draw it out can use it. Whether to use for combat, healing or even everyday labor like farming or clearing out portions of land. Though not many people use it or even know enough about it. So it's not surprising you haven't heard about it before now," Yukimi then tilted her head in thought, looking to the side.

Law thought over everything the fox explained to him, finding it all interesting. Then he noticed that Yukimi seemed to have come to some decision as she grinned at him, making him raise a brow once again that evening.

"How would you like a demonstration Law?"

"Demonstration?"

"Yes, well, it'll be a bit difficult to do since I don't have _human_ fingers. That, and I have a broken arm…" the fox muttered the last part to herself as she hopped off the boy's lap.

Law frowned at where her line of thinking was heading, "Yukimi-ya, don't do anything that will irritate your injury further."

"It's fine Law, relax. I know what I'm doing," Yukimi then sat back on her haunches. She raised her free foreleg to her chest before connecting her paws together. Using her working paw, she maneuvered her unresponsive paw into different hand, or paw, signs. Doing this was painstakingly slow for her as she was used to doing it at a faster pace. After the final sign was done, she then quickly slammed her paw down on the bed between her and Law. On contact black runes instantly spread out on the bedspread before smoke was sent up into the air before rapidly dissipating before the smoke detectors could've picked them up.

Law went wide eyed on the fox. There where her paw was, sat a small pouch. He lifted the bag up feeling how heavy it was and how it sounded like metal was inside, clinking together. Slowly opening the small bag, Law pulled out a good size dagger, at least that's what he thought it was.

"What you pulled out Law, is one of my kunai knives," Yukimi said with some pride that she managed to pull off summoning her bag.

"What's this metal star called?" Law held up the four pointed weapon.

"A shuriken. Those are paper bombs, careful with those Law. Those are easily set off. Flash bombs and that is my steel wire. I use that for traps and other uses," she described as he pulled everything out. "And lastly that is my scroll, where I can summon my first aid kit and my food rations."

Law looked over everything that was set out, admiring the weaponry. "You must be really skilled," he complimented as he carefully handled one of her kunai.

"Aw thanks, Law, though I have another small ability that I'm sure you and your parents would be impressed with."

"What would it be?"

"I'm not highly skilled in it but I have the basics down. It's called medical ninjutsu," Yukimi said with a smirk.

Law's eyes widened as he put the kunai down, "Medical?"

Yukimi nodded, "Yup, though I can only do first aid. That's why I still had a broken arm when I came here."

Law nodded in understanding as he began putting away Yukimi's equipment.

Just as Law clasped the bag closed, the door to the hallway opened. Mr. Trafalgar poked his head in, quickly spotting the duo, "There you two are. I've been looking for you Yukimi."

"Uh, time for me to be cut open?" Yukimi half joked.

Mr. Trafalgar shook his head smiling, "Well we needed to find you to prep you for surgery."

Law gave Yukimi a creepy look, "Mother and Father will give you anesthesia before going into surgery. Then they'll cut you open."

Yukimi's ears pulled back as the fur on her tails and neck bristled from how the boy sounded. "Law," the fox whined, generally creeped out by the look on his face.

*^.^*


	2. White Death

**~Okay...I totally meant to post this way sooner than this. But I got caught up in the Kingdom Hearts III hype for about a month, which forced me into bingeing all the games' cutscenes and the walkthroughs for the couple of games I hadn't watched yet. _Then_ I got stuck on Star Fox and watched all of _those_ walkthroughs. So yeah...youtube had me by the throat for a long while. Oh but, low and behold! One Piece was coming back for vengeance on my consciousness by throwing out random things in my everyday life that reminded me of some stuff from One Piece. Like, oh I don't know, FUCKING FLAMINGOS! Stores and early summer crap... Even my laptop finally decided to betray me on the ever-changing wallpaper where I log in...a fucking beach full of flamingos. _That was the last straw!_**

 **Well, I just came back from a full weekend of enjoying my favorite local anime convention. Let me tell ya'll, being surrounded by multiple Trafalgar Laws in one day, the _first day_ at that while cosplaying as Marineford Luffy was nerve wracking. ...Not to mention I was kinda humiliated by one 'cuz he bought/ _STOLE_ a Trafalgar Law wanted poster at a vending booth, RIGHT WHEN I WAS ASKING FOR THE DAMN PRICE! It was the only one they had... Even later after I left the vending room, he came up to me and _half_ apologized to me 'bout buying it. That guy was so in character, I swear it. I take things at face value, so to me, it looked and sounded like he was being cocky/arrogant. I knew he was only apologizing 'cuz he literally saw me fall to my knees at the booth in front of the other One Piece posters and nearly cry in despair. The dude was defiantly amused. _I_ am amused, a bit, now after a few days of recounting that...defining moment of cosplaying Monkey D. Luffy... I swear if this guy actually finds this fic and READS THIS PART, I shall always remember you from Anime Con Arkansas 2018! Well...hope you enjoyed my first horror con story. Didn't mean to type this out on here, but eh, whatever. ENJOY THE NEW CHAPTER AND PLEASE LEAVE A REVIEW! I LIVE OFF THEM, THEY'RE MY FOOD SOURCE!**

 _ **Long Term Hearts**_

 _ **Chapter 2: White Death**_

 ************^.^************

It had been two months since the successful operation and Yukimi was recovering well. The day after the operation she met Law's little sister, Lami. She was the sweetest thing. The little brunette took what Yukimi was in stride. Even cuddling her like a stuffed animal, much to everyone's amusement but the kitsune. But Yukimi liked hanging around the girl when Law was in school or studying on becoming a surgeon like his parents. Lami loved listening to Yukimi telling stories of her adventures, to a lower degree of course.

It was around this time Yukimi was able to take off her cast around her foreleg and finally be able to return to her human form. Everyone's reaction but Law, to her transformation, was different. Though Yukimi found Lami's to be endearing, as she whined about how she couldn't cuddle with her anymore. After hearing that Yukimi promised to be in her fox form when they hung out.

Once seeing the state her clothes were in, Mrs. Trafalgar had her change out of them into some spare clothes she had so she could wash and stitch them back together. To which Yukimi was grateful for once she had them back fresh, clean and rip free.

Now at this moment said kitsune was outside behind the hospital. She was practicing throwing her kunai and shuriken at a tree with her freshly mended arm, having been ordered to strengthen her arm by practicing her skills. Yukimi took out two more kunai as she eyed the three-ringed bull's eye she carved on the tree before throwing them at the wooden target. One hit just below the smallest ring while the other to the side of it. The kitsune sighed as she looked at the marked tree. Multiple kunai and shuriken riddled the bark from above, below and all around the bull's eye. All just missing the very middle. The albino then started forming hand signs. She frowned when her fingers missed their positions for the third time. Yukimi let out a groan as she ran her hands through her white hair in frustration. Then her ears twitched hearing a set of feet walking toward her.

"How's your injury doing Yukimi-ya?"

Yukimi looked over her shoulder to see Law walking up to her, "Ah back from school, eh?" She raised her right arm, turning her hand around as she faced the boy. "Yeah it's getting better," the albino answered as she fisted her hand in and out.

"That's good to hear-"

"Yukimi!"

Said kitsune and Law looked back to see Lami running over to them. "I guess I'll head inside to study then," Law said looking back up to Yukimi.

"Awe you study too much, Law. Enjoy your childhood while you can. It won't last forever, ya know. And before you know it, you'll be an adult!" Yukimi frowned slightly as she went over to the tree and began tugging out her weapons.

Law shrugged, "I don't have the time for playing games Yukimi-ya."

"Hi, Law!" Lami greeted her older brother happily as she came over just as he was leaving, only getting a wave back before he disappeared around the corner of the hospital.

"Hey kiddo, how you've been?" Yukimi asked as she tugged out the last of her embedded kunai.

"I'm doing great! Though I think I might be getting a cold," Lami mentioned as she watched the albino put away her weapons into the pouch on her hip.

"Oh? Have you been coughing lately then?" Yukimi asked as she walked over to the girl. The albino knelt down before linking their foreheads together. "You do feel a little warm," Yukimi muttered as she stood back up. "But I think it's from you running around everywhere you go!" Yukimi said grinning.

Lami laughed as the kitsune stuck her tongue out at her. "Yukimi, can you change into a fox now?"

Yukimi chuckled, "Okay." At that a puff of smoke appeared where the kitsune was before, revealing her in her fox form, "How's this?"

Lami giggled as Yukimi hopped onto her shoulder before draping herself around the girl's neck like a scarf. "Yay!"

Yukimi grinned as Lami rubbed her face against her fluffy tails, "You sure seem more excited today. Is it your birthday or something?"

The little girl giggled with a wide grin splitting her face, "No, there's a festival today!"

Yukimi raised a brow, "A festival? Heh, no wonder I've been hearing people cheer all afternoon."

Lami started bouncing in her shoes excitedly, "Yeah! And I want to go with you and Law!"

Yukimi's grin grew, she hadn't been to a festival in a long time. "Well then let's go inside and see everybody. And before your medical textbook loving older brother gets too involved in his studies," Yukimi said as they began walking back inside the hospital.

Once on the correct floor, they headed over to a hallway where it resembled more like one from a home. Lami jogged over to a closed door before opening it. Inside they found Law and Mr. Trafalgar at a desk where they had a book open on surgical procedures. "Law let's go to the festival!" Lami said running over to them.

"Yeah let's go Doc Bookworm!" Yukimi laughed as she decided to add her two beri.

Mr. Trafalgar turned toward the two smiling, "How's your arm Yukimi?"

"Getting stronger every day, sir."

"Good to hear."

"No! I'm studying now," Law answered as he continued to write notes in his notebook.

"What?!" Lami started shaking her head side to side as she shook her fists, almost shaking the fox right off her, "No! No! Come on!"

"Later."

At that moment Mrs. Trafalgar came into the room hearing about the festival, not at all surprised that her daughter was very excited about the event. "Law, studying is good but if you push yourself too much, it's not good for you," the mother explained after she knelt down next to Lami. Yukimi then jumped onto the desk and promptly sat on the paper Law was writing on, getting a frown from the boy. Law looked over his shoulder as his mother continued on. "Sometimes you need to get out and have fun."

"Like I said earlier Law, enjoy your childhood while you can," the white fox said as she tickled his neck with her tails.

Law flinched, quickly slapping a hand where he was being tickled at only to miss her retreating appendages. The boy looked at her annoyed.

Lami giggled before an idea popped into her head, "I have an idea! Mother, let's go to the festival together!"

Mrs. Trafalgar blinked before turning to her daughter, "No, I…."

Mr. Trafalgar nodded, "Yeah. Why don't you four go?" he said placing his hand on Law's hat covered head.

"What?"

"To the festival!" Yukimi cheered hopping on Law's shoulder, getting the usual look.

Mrs. Trafalgar smiled at her grinning daughter, "All right. But just for thirty minutes. We have so many patients to take care of."

Lami raised her hands into the air cheering in glee with a huge smile, "Yeah!"

Mrs. Trafalgar turned to Law and Yukimi, "Well then, let's go to the festival!"

Yukimi watched as Law finally broke out a grin before nodding, "Yeah!"

*^.^*

Yukimi looked up at the sky as thousands of different colored petals, or confetti, she couldn't quite tell, floated down in the soft warm breeze as cheering filled her ears. There were firecrackers going off somewhere while people applauded over at a nearby street. The whole atmosphere was overflowing with joy and brimming with energy as the city's people had the time of their lives.

"This way! This way! Hurry up!" Lami said all the while tugging on her mother's hand as she made her jog beside her to a crowd of people lined up at a street.

Yukimi, in her human form, caught up to them, "Careful kiddo, don't wanna spill your ice cream cone."

Lami giggled, "I won't." She turned back around toward her older brother as he calmly walked after them, carrying his own ice cream cone. "Law come on!"

Mrs. Trafalgar smiled, "Lami, you don't have to rush like that."

"What if the festival ends?" Lami asked as she licked her ice cream, making Yukimi laugh at the child's innocence.

Law smiled at his beloved little sister, "It won't end yet."

Yukimi waited on Law as his sister and mother went further ahead. "How's it going Doc Slowpoke?" the kitsune asked as she walked next to him.

Law rolled his eyes at his ever-changing nickname.

"Lami what's wrong?"

Yukimi and Law looked up to see Mrs. Trafalgar kneeling next to Lami, who seemed to be in a lot of pain.

Law's eyes widened in concern for his little sister, "What? Lami!" He dropped his ice cream cone as he ran over to them, Yukimi right behind him. "What's wrong? Are you alright?!"

Yukimi knelt down next to Lami as her mother held the child in her arms. "What's going on?" The albino then heard Law gasp. She looked up at him, noticing him staring at Lami's right arm. Yukimi looked at the girl's arm before widening her own eyes. ' _A white patch? What is that?! And what does this mean?_ '

"That's…"

Then Mrs. Trafalgar gasped as she too made the connection the kitsune was currently unaware of.

Yukimi looked between the two in growing concern, "Wh-what's that white patch mean guys?"

Mrs. Trafalgar stood up abruptly with Lami in her arms, "Later, we're going back to the hospital!"

*^.^*

It's been weeks since Lami collapsed during the festival. As the days went by, more and more people came to the hospital, varying in ages from the elderly, to the child, with white patches covering their bodies.

Yukimi tried her damndest best to help around the hospital, even though she only just found out what Amber Lead Syndrome was. She worried for everyone's sake. The kitsune's even seen how Law's whole family was slowly succumbing to the poisoning.

 _It was so hard._ Watching patients withering away in agony before finally dying and escaping the terrible pain they had to endure for so long. Old, young; it didn't matter where you came from within the city or how you lived or for how long or how healthy you were. It was all the same. White patches, paling complexion and whatever hair pigment they had before became its own pale counterpart.

At this moment Yukimi was on top an abandoned building close to a barricaded street where she just witnessed a young couple trying to escape the now quarantined country, only to be mowed down by bullets from men in black military hazard suits with masks. "Damned bastards, won't listen to any medical reason or proof that this white shit isn't contagious. But apparently, human selfishness and stupidity are!" She growled as her ears went flat against her naturally white hair. "Even after all the doctors Mr. and Mrs. Trafalgar worked together with at the hospital, nobody outside this country will lend an ear. It all only falls on _rich_ and _politically powerful_ deaf ears."

Yukimi suddenly felt a drop of water land on her collarbone. The albino lifted a hand to feel the spot but stopped when she realized she was crying when more liquid fell onto her raised hand. "I came to this city in need of help, and what I received was a family who helped me without hesitation for what I am. I've come to love this beautiful country and Law's family as if it were my own home and family. Why does this have to happen!"

Yukimi squeezed her eyes shut as more tears ran down her cheeks. The kitsune stepped away from the building's edge she was standing on in anger. The albino sniffled as she rubbed her eyes in despair over the terrible catastrophe happening all around her. Red eyes slowly opened after two fists rubbed away loose tears. Now not only are the irises their natural red color, but the sclera was now red too. Lips curled back as fangs made themselves known to the smoky air as the owner to them slowly returned to the edge, now facing the culprits who fired the weapons only a minute or two before. It was decided. Justice was well overdue for those damned men in black suits. The kitsune leaped down onto the fence below, facing the murderers. "Hey! You want to slaughter innocents? Then how 'bout I slaughter you in exchange for your sins, you damned murderers!" Yukimi shouted furiously.

The men backed up as they raised their guns at her, surprised to find someone else there. Though more shocked that this person was standing on the fence, threatening them and had two tails swishing about paired with fox ears, strained forward in aggression.

Yukimi didn't give them an opening. She jumped into the air, pulled out hands full of shuriken and deposited them into the men's bodies with precision. The kitsune then took out a kunai in each hand before landing in the midst of a small cluster of men. Yukimi quickly dodged the bullets aimed at her before instantly returning the favor by running past the men encircling her, kunai out, slitting their throats as she passed. More bullets began flying her way, some nicking her cheeks and arms but did that stop her? _No_. Did it slow her down? _No_. It only made her faster until she was a white blur to the now very terrified soldiers.

The men screamed as they were cut down by the albino. Some tried rushing in all at once to overwhelm her. But that failed. Others tried using blowtorches. That failed when Yukimi leaped out of their range, roasting each other alive instead. Another group tried grenades. The kitsune batted them back with ease. Finally, when the last man fell dead by the kitsune's kunai, Yukimi stood up straight as her sensitive ears twitched. She could still hear cries for help and agonized screams far behind her, peppered with many gunfire and explosives.

Yukimi gripped her blood soaked hands tightly around her equally soaked weapons. She growled loudly before taking off back to the hell the once beautiful city had become. As Yukimi ran, she infused her chakra into her feet and quickly began running up the side of a large, half obliterated house as a group of soldiers ran underneath her. Once on what remained of the roof, the kitsune jumped from building to building until she reached the hospital the albino dreaded going in months ago, now like a second home. Yukimi could see many dying citizens at the front locked gates, trying to get in for help.

Yukimi shook her head before jumping down to the gates' wall before landing inside the quart yard and making a sprint to the doors. She could hear the people calling out to her as she closed the door behind her, ' _I'm sorry_.' Yukimi then quickly ran up to the floor where she knew Lami's room was. Once there she stood before the door, taking deep breaths to slow her breathing down. Then the kitsune opened the door.

"Why is it so noisy outside?"

"There's a festival. Flevance is always so prosperous," Law smiled softly. Yukimi watched as Law stood beside his dying little sister as he held her pale hand. "Get well soon and let's go to a festival together again!"

Lami nodded tiredly with a smile of her own.

"That's right Lami. Once you get better, we'll all go to the festival together. We'll get lots of cotton candy, and ice cream cones and popcorn and we'll see performers too!" Yukimi listed off with an excited tone as she closed the door behind her. The albino walked over next to Law, seeing how deathly pale Lami had become, even her brown hair had paled to such a degree.

"...Yu-Yukimi-ya!" Law stuttered as he stared at her in shock.

"What is it Law?" Yukimi asked feeling concerned and tired overall. It was then she realized she was still gripping her bloody kunai in an iron grip. Her hands were still covered in drying blood and shaking. At that, the kitsune dropped her bloody weapons, letting them clatter loudly on the tile flooring.

"Yukimi? What's that red stuff on your face?"

Yukimi jumped in her boots at Lami's weak voice. "Wha-huh? Oh, it's just some paint Lami. You see, uh, I'm painting you a big picture of a rose. And I seem to have forgotten to clean up, eh heh heh," the kitsune fibbed with a small awkward smile of her own. Yukimi looked back at Law, seeing him staring towards the door.

Before she could ask anything, Law looked back up at her. He looked at the kitsune as if he was thinking of something very important, making her raise a brow at him in question. Law turned back to his little sister. "Lami let me help you up," he said as he begins doing so.

Yukimi wasn't sure what was going on. "Uhm, Law?" She watched the boy move his weak sister into an armoire that was in the room, all the while confused as to what he was planning.

"Lami, stay in here for a few minutes," Law instructed. Lami nodded as she sat against the back wall of the furniture. Law then faced the bloody kitsune, "Yukimi-ya, I want you to stay here with Lami."

Yukimi furrowed her brows together as her confusion thickened. "What are you saying?" she asked quietly as she crouched down next to Law. "What are you going on about?"

Law didn't say anything really, he only gave her a look that he only showed her once before. Back when Law first brought her to the hospital. The boy smirked at her before he started pushing her towards the armoire. "Just stay here for a few minutes with Lami, Yukimi-ya," he said as he gently pushed the kitsune into the furniture.

"Law-!" The door closed on her. It wasn't even five minutes later when Yukimi's ears picked up crying, soon followed by multiple guns firing off and glass breaking.

"...Are those...firecrackers...Yukimi?" Lami asked with a quiet voice. She looked up at Yukimi as the albino had her eyes narrowed at the crack between the furniture's doors.

Yukimi looked down at slowly fading brown eyes. Her ears drooped more than ever, "...Yes, those were firecrackers Lami." The kitsune knew Lami didn't have but a few minutes. She then had an idea. Yukimi looked down at her white ocarina looped around her neck. "Would you like me to play a tune, Lami?" She barely got a nod back. Yukimi pulled Lami into her lap for her to be more comfortable. Lami's eyes slowly began closing as Yukimi brought her ocarina to her lips and began playing her song.

The melodic tones began with low notes, then gradually becoming higher, only to fall, to rise and rise higher still. All the while like a soft lullaby with sharp notes every now and again. But it was a well synchronize when put together. As the beautiful notes rose, they made a descent into a heavy tone, but to rise once more. It was like listening to the rise and fall of the ocean's tide, almost like it was breathing. It made you picture the sun and moon, rising and falling in perfect harmony as the ocean breathed calming sighs beneath the two individually majestic spheres in the sky. It would be hard to put this beautiful melody into simple words just for description, but for the ears and the mind's eye, it is but all too simple to have the peaceful, tranquil music notes dance around under the blue waves and high up and around the clouds and stars of the endless sky above with no limit. It was like time was nonexistent but for the sharp rise of the sun and the soft fall of the moon. As it would now come to an end as the last notes were blown through the holes of the small white ocarina in the kitsune's hands, red orbs falling to closed brown ones. Lami was dead.

Yukimi felt tears spring forward as she saw Lami pulling a soft little smile in her eternal sleep. "I-I'm glad you l-liked it, L-Lami," she hiccupped as she tucked her instrument inside her shirt. Fuzzy ears twitched at more gunfire coming closer. The kitsune growled a low growl as she kicked open the door to the armoire, hard enough for it to slam loudly against the wall before slowly swinging back. But by then Yukimi had already placed a pillow under Lami's head and a blanket over her body, "Rest Lami, you deserve it." Then the albino spied her discarded kunai with now dried blood. It was an understatement on how she wanted to wash her weapons in more, fresh blood soon.

"I heard something over here!"

And it looked like the very agitated kitsune would get the opportunity very soon. With that in mind, Yukimi walked out of the room before gently closing the door, as if there was a sleeping child in the room she just left. Walking further down the hallway, Yukimi immediately spotted a few men in those black suits.

"There's one-" the man stopped short upon seeing Yukimi. Let's just say, the man was shitting himself where he stood just by looking at the enraged kitsune.

"What are you standing there for? Shoot it!" another man shouted as he realized there was blood on the being in front of them, with bloody weapons to boot.

But before any of them could so much as blink, they were dead before they realized what had happened to them. Yukimi landed on all fours behind the small group of soldiers. As she walked away, the men dropped to the floor as blood spewed all over the walls and floor. A massacre of her own, though not the first that night. The albino soon found the bodies of Mr. and Mrs. Trafalgar in a room riddled with bullet holes, blood, and shattered window glass. There were small bloody footprints leading to it. Yukimi made a quick silent promise to them that she'll look out for Law before sending a prayer for them. After that, she jumped out of the shattered window.

Yukimi ran through the streets, killing any and all soldiers who dared to cross paths with her as she searched for the lone surviving Trafalgar. Yukimi ran up the side of a building to the roof, quickly leaping to another building to avoid the soldiers slowing her down.

The albino grimaced when she landed on a burning building. Smoke was billowing up out of the windows, causing her to cough from the fumes. Yukimi waved her hand in front of her face to be rid of the smoke from entering her lungs. The kitsune looked over the edge, scanning for a familiar spotted hat, finding nothing but bodies littering the street. Yukimi walked over to the other side of the building, still waving the smoke away from her face and leaned over the edge. "Oh shit!" A large massacre of children and a young nun had occurred not too long ago. It was horrifying to look at. She then heard screaming and crying coming from the bloodied area. Law was next to the nun, slamming his fists on the blood soaked ground. Yukimi quietly jumped down before the burning building could collapse from under her feet. "Law," Yukimi called out to him as she walked over to where he stood up.

He slowly looked up toward the kitsune, but not really looking at her. "You're...you're not with Lami…?"

Before Yukimi could say or do anything, Law suddenly took off back toward the hospital. "Law wait!" She tried stopping the boy but he had already found his home burning. "...The surrounding buildings must've...set it off," Yukimi murmured after she caught up to him.

"No…the hospital…!" Law fell to his knees and started weeping again, "LAMI!"

Yukimi felt fresh hot tears stinging her eyes as they too fell. She knelt down next to Law and turned him toward her. The kitsune wrapped her arms and tails around the boy, letting him cry out his tragedy into her shoulder, feeling him twisting the front of her hoodie in his fists for dear life. "I promise I won't ever leave you Law. Not in this hellish crisis, nor anytime soon," the albino said in his ear, hoping he heard her through the roaring flames beside them, consuming the once hospital and home, and his childhood.

*^.^*


	3. Donquixote Pirates

**~Hey guys, been awhile since I last updated. Sorry about that, didn't mean to keep y'all waiting for so long. I got swept away by a lot of stuff. Anyway please enjoy this new chapter and please leave a review! ...please...**

 _ **Long Term Hearts**_

 _ **Chapter 3: Donquixote Pirates**_

 ************^.^************

Yukimi and Law ran through the outskirts of a small forest as fast as they could away from the dirt road they just left. Yukimi glanced over her shoulder as a cartful of dead bodies was rolled away. "Law over here," Yukimi in her fox form said as she picked up the sound of a river close to them.

Law followed the fox as she led him to a river concealed by a cluster of trees. The sole Flevance citizen walked next to the river, gazing down at the clean water. He looked at himself seeing how grimy his reflection was. Law turned his head toward his fellow survivor, watching how she finally took note of how bloody she was, looking grossed out. Yukimi looked more like a red fox than a white one, he wasn't much different. The bodies they laid hidden in were bloody too, so the two were eventually painted with other people's blood. It was disgusting, to say the least.

Yukimi walked into the cool water and started rolling around in it. She looked over her shoulder at Law, "Let's wash off all this blood, Law. Don't worry 'bout being discovered here, I'll be able to hear anyone coming before they can get close to us." The fox then started profusely scrubbing away at her tails with a bunch of wet leaves together.

After about half an hour, the two were as clean as one could get in a river bath. Yukimi shook herself until her fur puffed out, making her look like a poodle. She frowned before smoothing out her damp fur. The fox glanced at Law, noticing him ring out his shirt. His tie was missing and his jacket was ruined, watching him toss said article of clothing aside and put his damp shirt back on. Yukimi lowered her ears, the boy was starting to appear pale.

Law put his beloved hat back on, which was thankfully not touched by blood, and looked back at the fox, glaring. He observed Yukimi change back into her human form before reaching back into her bag. She withdrew a scroll, placing it on the ground between them.

Yukimi crisscrossed her legs as she looked back up at the boy with her. The kitsune was startled to find him glaring at her, not saying a word. She quickly put on a small gentle smile as she unrolled the scroll. "I always have some food stashed in this. For times I find myself in an unpredictable situation where I have no reliable food source," Yukimi explained. "I thought…" The albino shook her head for a moment to rid herself of a thought. She looked back down as she opened her scroll, seeing the black runes written on it. Yukimi made a few hand signs before placing her hand down on it and summoned the food on her scroll. There were a few apples, some rice balls and a couple of bananas. Yukimi picked up an apple and handed it over to Law.

Law held up the bright red apple before silently taking a bite out of it, although a little vicious.

While Yukimi ate a rice ball, she noticed how Law held his apple in a strong grip. Finishing her rice, the kitsune fiddled with her ocarina, thinking. "...I can play my ocarina if you'd like, Law. I use it whenever I need to calm myself or another. My music is from the village that I came from. It's located next to a great lake wherein our legends say a guardian resides, protecting the village." Yukimi then begins playing the lake guardian's song. She closed her eyes as the soothing melody floated through the air and around them. As the song ended Yukimi opened her eyes, gazing down at her instrument in her grasp. "...I played this for Lami. She smiled as I played it, and I'm glad I was-"

The kitsune was suddenly knocked onto her back as she felt a pair of hands wrap around her throat. Yukimi tried taking a breath but couldn't. She focused her blood red eyes onto Law's glaring unfocused stormy grays. "What…?!" the albino wheezed out but couldn't do more than that. She then tried pulling Law's wrists away from her throat but he wouldn't budge.

"You left her! You left my little sister to burn! I hate you! I bet all that blood was hers, wasn't it?! I'll kill you for what you did!" Law shouted in hatred at her. He then started squeezing her throat even more as he watched the kitsune's red eyes begin to glaze over.

Yukimi was beginning to see black spots form in her field of vision. She felt Law's grip on her tighten more and more by the second. Yukimi finally lets one of her hands drop from his wrists, desperately searching the ground around for her bag, having felt it come off her hip when Law jumped her. Her lungs were beginning to burn for air when she found the leather bag. The albino was mentally thanking her luck, that the bag was already opened, so she quickly searched for a kunai. Finally feeling the handle to one, Yukimi hooked a finger through the loop end so she could get a better grasp. The kitsune opened her eyes, not having realized she had them squeezed shut, and saw a blurry silhouette above her. Hot tears slipped down the corners of her eyes to the ground as she tried speaking again, only getting a choked sound out instead.

"Just _die_ already, you horrible _vixen!_ " Law hissed, venom dripping with every word.

Pain. That was what Yukimi felt. Not the hands choking her, squeezing out the last of her breath, but the boy's words. You'd think the words wouldn't hurt the kitsune, but you would be wrong. In fact, they hurt more than her lungs screaming for air. From the second Law started choking the albino to this moment, it felt like an eternity had passed for the kitsune. _Finally,_ Yukimi thrust the butt of her weapon into the side of Law's face, effectively knocking the boy off her. Yukimi gasped loudly as she rolled onto her side away from the boy, coughing for the precious oxygen her lungs were dying for. It took her a minute before her ears could stop ringing from the beating of her heart and alert her to Law going through her bag that was a few feet away. It took her another three long seconds to comprehend that he was charging at her with a kunai in each hand. "Shit," the winded kitsune muttered.

Law was just a foot away from killing Yukimi when he suddenly felt two feet on his stomach, then the whole world turned upside down and wet. Before he could right himself up in the shallow bank of the river, Law felt a hand grab his collar, quickly finding himself slammed against a tree. Dazed for a few seconds like when he was hit with her kunai moments before, Law saw his reflection in glistening red orbs.

"For fuck's sake, Law! What the fucking hell is going through that head of yours?!" Yukimi shouted in his face as she bared her fangs, ears disappearing into her hair.

Law was about to stab the kitsune in retaliation but found he had dropped his stolen weapons on the ground a few feet from them. "What do you care?" Law asked angrily as he tried to stomp on the albino's feet. That only made things worse for him, immediately finding himself off the ground and pinned against the tree. Law grunted as he now held onto Yukimi's wrists and tried to kick her, only to have his legs trapped against the bark by her body. "You killed Lami! You must've killed Mother and Father too! I bet you were going to kill me ne-!" Law was suddenly slapped, shutting him up as a bright red hand shaped mark quickly appeared on his cheek.

Yukimi stared into Law's eyes in grief. Her ears drooped as her eyes softened. She slowly lowered Law until his feet touched the ground. The kitsune let go of his shirt as she folded her legs underneath her so she was eye leveled with him. Then Yukimi pulled the traumatized boy into her grasp. The albino felt him trying to get away from her, so she held on tighter. "Didn't you hear what I said in front of the hospital, Law?" she asked softly.

Law stilled in her arms. He did hear her, but he just wanted to take out his anger on the world. But when Yukimi mentioned his dead sister, he just snapped and ended up taking out his anger on her. The only other person who knew what actually happened and the only person he had left, even though she wasn't family. Law wrapped his arms around the kitsune's neck as new tears appeared at the corners of his eyes.

"Shh, everything's fine, everything's okay Law. You're okay, I'm okay. We're here away from those bastards…" Yukimi whispered as she gently rubbed small circles on his back.

Law felt Yukimi's tails wrap around him in addition to her grasp tightening. "...I'm sorry Yukimi-ya. I'm really sorry for what I said and did to you!" Law apologized as he leaned back a little to look at her. The boy grimaced when he saw the damage he had done. Yukimi had purple bruises growing around her throat. He regretted hurting the kitsune.

Yukimi could easily read his expression. "Don't go there, Law. You were just blind, that's all," she whispered as one of her tails wiped away the tears rolling down his cheeks. The albino glanced up at his right temple, eyeing the bruise forming there from her own retaliation. Yukimi leaned over and kissed his bruise.

Law blinked as he felt soft lips touching the sensitive spot on his head.

"Now, let's make a fire, okay?" Yukimi suggested as she stood up. "It's getting late after all. Will you go find some firewood while I make a pit?"

Law watched Yukimi start digging a small hole with one of her kunai before adding in leaves and small twigs into the small pit. The boy turned away, walking off in search of good firewood. After all, it was slowly getting darker and harder to see.

Yukimi scraped her steel kunai against a chunk of flint she had found. The sparks lit the dry tinder and started a small fire in the little pit. Not too long after Law had returned with arms full of larger sticks.

Law dropped some of the sticks into the fire while he left the rest to pile a few feet away from the growing flames. Law sat next to Yukimi as she wrapped her tails around him to help warm him. He leaned against the kitsune as he stared into the dancing flames before them, thinking as Yukimi started playing her guardian's song once again. The kitsune, on her end, seemed to be relieved that the small white instrument had come out of their little tussle unscathed. While out gathering sticks, Law stumbled upon some port town apparently called Spider Miles. He had briefly caught sight of a jolly roger he's only seen in the newspapers before and he knew what crew was under that flag. The boy sighed, deciding on not telling Yukimi what he was going to do.

*^.^*

The next morning, Law left Yukimi a note written on the ground, with the help of one of her kunai. It read that he would be back soon and not to worry, even though he knew she would still go looking for him in the end. Law didn't want her to follow him so he left fake trails heading in the opposite direction of Spider Miles.

Soon arriving back to the port town, Law found a building that housed crates full of weapons and quickly armed himself with strings of grenades wrapped around his small body. Now he was ready to face the Donquixote Pirates.

*^.^*

Yukimi ran her hands through her hair in frustration, "Agh! Where the hell did that idiot run off to now?" The irritated kitsune glanced down at the ground noticing the fresh eaten apple core tossed into the ashes of the previous night's fire. "At least he'd eaten before running off to who knows where," she sighed.

Yukimi quickly gathered everything up, doused the ashes with river water, and took to the trees. She quickly spotted a trail leading away from their campsite, but something was odd about it. It was irregular and didn't match up to the way one would sneak off. The albino went back to the campsite where she did a three-sixty degree turn in her perch on her branch. There, another trail leading in the direct opposite direction. Yukimi faced the real trail before leaping across branches like she would in her fox form. Within minutes, Yukimi's ears picked up what sounded like a town up ahead. Then she started smelling the salt in the air, a port town.

Yukimi stopped on the last tree, overlooking a huge scrapyard full of broken and bent sharp iron and steel. ' _What a dump_ ,' Yukimi thought as she began hearing steel blades clashing against one another. "Where…?" The kitsune hopped down to the ground then quietly jogged through and around the jutted out metal shards. ' _He wouldn't be here, would he?_ ' Just as she asked herself that question, did the albino get her answer. ' _What the fuck is he doing?!_ '

A sword went spiraling into the air as Law, gift wrapped in grenades, fell to the ground. Standing before him were two men, the tall one dressed like an entertainer and the other like a big blue blob with a bowler hat and shades. Law had already gotten back up with his sword and started attacking the taller man again.

"Who are these people?" Yukimi murmured to herself as she looked around for any indication or insignia. The kitsune's red eyes widened in horror at the large building in front of her. Slapped in black paint, was the jolly roger of the Donquixote Pirates.

"Don't kill him, Diamante."

Yukimi immediately pinpointed the one speaking, Donquixote Doflamingo. Suddenly the kitsune was very glad to be crouched behind a large steel slab out of sight from everybody. Even though the man wasn't wearing his recognizable large pink feather coat, that wide arrogant grin was a dead giveaway from his many wanted posters.

"This is just a trial before we take him into our family as an apprentice," Doflamingo finished as he watched the spectacle below him.

"You jerk!" Law growled as he was deflected again, frustrated by not being able to get a hit in.

"I know, Doffy," Diamante replied as he parried against Law easily.

Yukimi continued to quietly observe the scene as Law constantly tried to strike the much taller man in failure.

Law took a step back and looked up to where the leader of the Donquixote Pirates sat perched on the railing of a suspended walkway connected to the building with the painted jolly roger, "If I beat him, will you make me a commander?"

The men in front of Law started laughing. "Can't help my nose from running!" Trébol, if Yukimi recalled correctly from the wanted posters, grinned as snot ran down his face as he laughed. Everyone around Law laughed at him. It was then Yukimi noticed the two children near her as they laughed too.

"Are you serious?" Diamante asked mockingly.

Law growled before he charged at the tall pirate. "Stop laughing! I'm serious!" he yelled only to be knocked down again.

"You can't kill a person with spirit alone," Diamante mocked standing over the boy.

Law stood back up as he glared at them, "I told you! I have explosives! I'm going to die soon anyway, so I'm not afraid of anything!"

Diamante growled before attacking Law, "Don't underestimate pirates!"

Law cried out as he was sent flying, sword, and grenades going everywhere.

Yukimi winced as Law fell into the scraps of metal on the ground.

"Aww," the girl frowned in disappointment.

"He was just a big talker," said the much larger boy.

"It's over! It's over! Let's go play tag!" the girl chanted as she and the larger boy ran off.

"Okay!"

Law slowly started to get up, "Dammit…" He turned toward the two men as Trébol began laughing again.

Yukimi waited to see if the pirates would leave Law or not, but sadly when they went inside the waste processing plant, so did Law. "Shit, why the hell would he want to join these horrible pirates?" Yukimi muttered as she stood up, still hidden from the building's windows.

 _Bang bang bang_

Hearing someone walking up the metal stairs made Yukimi look back toward the building Law went into. She saw a man in a black feathery coat walking up the stairs, hands in his pockets. ' _When did he appear? I should've been able to hear anyone trying to sneak through this scrapyard. I'm just able to keep quiet on these loose slabs!_ ' Yukimi thought startled that she didn't hear this man approach the building. The albino watched him walk into the doorway at the top, only to slip backward and fall on his back. Yukimi couldn't help herself but snort for a moment.

 _CRASH!_

Yukimi suddenly looked up to see Law flying through the air with a hundred shattered pieces of glass. "Law!" Yukimi immediately sprang from her hiding spot. She infused her chakra into her feet to make her jump farther, making her faster just in time to catch Law before they crashed into the metal yard. The kitsune gritted her teeth as she felt some metal pieces slice into her back. But Yukimi didn't care, she was just glad that she had caught him before he landed in the scraps. "The fuck...were you...thinking...you damn idiot?" Yukimi groaned through her teeth, wincing as Law shifted in her grasp, not having noticed nor heard the albino yet.

Law panted heavily as blood dripped from his nose and right temple, where his bruise was from earlier. He held a hand to his bleeding head as he turned back toward the building he was thrown out of.

Yukimi watched as his expression changed from pain to utter hatred. More so than the look he mistakenly gave her, directed towards the same man she couldn't hear coming moments before. She had to crane her neck to see him sitting on the rail, accidentally catching himself on fire from lighting his cigarette. The kitsune waited until the pirates were busy putting out the silent man before she started getting up, as painful as it was. Yukimi's movements and pained gasp brought Law back to his senses.

"Yu-Yukimi-ya?! What are you doing here?!" Law faced the kitsune in surprise.

"Sh-shut up Law," Yukimi muttered as she picked him up and checked to make sure they weren't being watched. The kitsune turned around and thanks to her chakra and speed, they were out of the metal scrapyard in two seconds flat.

*^.^*

Yukimi sat Law against a tree back at their campsite before taking out the scroll she had been using for their rations. She opened it further than the day before where a different set of runes were drawn into the paper. The kitsune made a few hand signs before placing her hand onto the scroll, summoning a first aid kit.

Law pressed his hand against his head, stopping the blood flow a little. He looked up as Yukimi sat next to him with bandages. It stung when she dabbed some rubbing alcohol over his wound. After that, he started hearing a low but light humming sound just above his ear as a soft green glow appeared in his peripheral vision. "What are you doing, Yukimi-ya?"

"I'm using my medical ninjutsu," the kitsune answered. "Though I was hoping I wouldn't need to bring out my first aid kit…" Yukimi sighed out. The albino was rather annoyed that, even though she had essentially prevented the boy from potentially being stabbed by a stray steel rod, Yukimi wasn't able to protect him from smaller debris from cutting him.

Law, on the other hand, wished he could watch her perform this ninjutsu for himself as his inner doctor was very intrigued.

Yukimi wrapped the bandages she had out around his head before ushering the boy to the river to clean off the sticky blood from his face and hand. While he did that, Yukimi walked away from him to a more secluded spot. She took off her hoodie and pulled off her tank top, leaving her bra to cover her chest. The kitsune examined her bloody back on the river's surface. ' _At least I don't have metal pieces sticking out_ ,' the albino thought as she healed herself as best she could before washing off the sticky blood.

*^.^*

It's been a week since Law started going to the Donquixote Pirates and a week of constant arguments and rants between him and Yukimi, about him going to the dangerous pirates, though the kitsune was the one ranting mostly. So yeah, with Law constantly being thrown out by the ever present Corazón and Yukimi having to catch and bandage him up, the kitsune's hair has become thoroughly messy from running her hands through it in frustration.

Here we can find Yukimi combing her fingers through her short hair as she tried calming down as she squared off with Law once again at the outskirts of the port town. "You have got to be fucking kidding me," the kitsune muttered to herself.

Law crossed his arms, "How is it that after everything that's happened, you suddenly have a foul mouth?" He smirked seeing how he had thrown the kitsune off kilter once again.

"Wha-!" Yukimi felt red in the face as she pointed an aggravated index finger at the boy, "Just because I've never once cussed around you and your folks before, doesn't mean I've never cussed before! I've always been like this and you're pulling all the fucking stops and pushing my damn buttons!" The kitsune growled as she turned and started pacing in front of Law. "You're not the only one that's been grating on my last nerves. That Corazón guy has been bothering me since he showed up! I swear...he's a fucking ghost with how silent he is! Do you know how accustomed I am with hearing a pin drop in a quiet room? Well with people walking around in that scrapyard over there, I should be able to hear that man like he was a fucking elephant, with bells on his feet while walking on empty cans!" Yukimi practically shouted toward the end of her long winded rant.

Law tried not to show it, but he was finding Yukimi's rant pretty amusing this time around. It was at that moment he noticed someone walking through the scrapyard. He quickly grabbed Yukimi's wrist and pulled her into cover behind a tree.

Yukimi quieted down and looked to where Law was glaring at. It was Corazón. They watched the man walk up the metal stairs of the processing waste plant, disappearing behind the door. "...Silent as the grave," the albino deadpanned as her ears lowered in annoyance. It took a moment for her to realize that Law had already begun walking into the scrapyard, but to her relief, away from the building. The kitsune followed him until he stopped at a large upright old tire.

Law climbed up the tire and sat facing the open water before them.

Yukimi sat next to him and mimicked him as he pulled his knees up to his chest. The albino sighed heavily, drawing Law's attention. "Alright, I won't stop you Law. But know that I'll be around to watch your back. After all, gotta stick together," Yukimi grinned. "It's us against the ugly world!" Yukimi giggled as she pulled Law into a side hug.

 _Grumble_

The kitsune's ears lowered as her tails sagged against the old rubber of the tire. She frowned as Law grabbed his stomach. He wasn't the only one hungry. Yukimi hadn't eaten in a while either. During one of their arguments back at their campsite, Yukimi had accidentally knocked the remaining food into the river. She had tried to rescue the food, but the river flow was stronger that day and had swept the food downstream and out of sight before she could do anything.

 _Grumble_

The albino blushed as her ears drooped like her sagging tails. She hugged her knees tighter to try and muffle her own hungry body. Yukimi didn't need to look to know that Law was regarding her with a seemingly critical eye.

"It's time to eat!" Buffalo shouted somewhere in the scrapyard.

Law looked over his shoulder at the building with the jolly roger painted on it. He could see Corazón walking along the suspended path before entering the building.

"He must've come out earlier...maybe to smoke?" Yukimi thought aloud as Law made tight fists.

Law slid off the tire with a metallic thud on the ground. He then made his way toward the metal staircase at the building's side.

Yukimi followed him but remained hidden behind piles of scrap metal as Law ascended the stairs. As he climbed the steps, the kitsune jumped, grabbing onto the railing beside him. He paused seeing her hanging there. "Nevermind me, keep going," she said quietly before disappearing under the metal.

So when Law continued up the stairs, he heard faint metallic steps under his feet. It confused him until he noticed a used cigarette on the path ahead of him. Forgetting Yukimi was still under him, Law stomped and ground the cigarette underfoot in anger. "That crazy bastard!" he hissed in hatred.

There were more footsteps coming from behind the boy. "There you are," Señor Pink walked up to Law. "Doffy wants to ask you something."

Law turned toward the well dressed man with a glare, "I have a question too!" Law said gritting his teeth still feeling his hatred for Corazón.

Yukimi froze from where she was standing upside down directly under Law's feet. She sniffed the air, catching the scent of smoke coming from near Law. The next thing the kitsune knew, she heard Law yelling at someone.

"What are you doing?!"

And before she knew it, Law was sent flying over the rail screaming and Yukimi didn't have the time to reflect on possible future consequences.

Señor Pink didn't catch it, but Corazón did. The boy was halfway down to the metal earth when a white blur shot out from beneath the suspended metal pathway and caught the screaming boy, before it and the boy crashed. Dust erupted from their crash, covering them up. He turned away and walked back inside.

"You have no mercy, Corazón. You hate kids so much…" Señor Pink murmured as he walked back inside after the executive.

The dust settled down around the duo after the men disappeared inside the waste processing plant. Law felt blood stream down his arm as he glared over his shoulder in utter hatred. The boy then felt someone coughing under him. He looked down to find he was cradled in Yukimi's arms. "Yukimi-ya, are you okay?!" the boy asked as he quickly saw her right cheek had a cut and blood running down from beneath the bangs covering her left eye.

"I'm fine…" Yukimi muttered as she felt more metal slice on her back, making her breath hitch.

Law knew the kitsune must have taken some considerable damage during the past week, always having to catch him when Corazón threw him out. It was concerning to him. "Yukimi-ya, are you okay? Where are you hurt?"

Yukimi gritted her teeth as she sat up, "Shut up for once, ya little twerp." She pulled down his fur spotted hat over his eyes to distract him. The albino smirked tiredly when the boy grunted as he fixed his hat. Yukimi then took hold of his bleeding arm so she could look at his cut. "You always have to make more troubling work for me, eh?" the kitsune remarked as she hovered her hands over the wound.

Law's eyes widened as he watched Yukimi work her medical ninjutsu on him. She had to do this multiple times during the past week, and not once did he ever tire from watching her heal him, not even by a little. It was always fascinating.

Yukimi sighed after she stopped the blood flow. She reached into her bag and pulled out some bandages she had started keeping in it for Law's frequent injuries. After the kitsune wiped away the excess blood from his arm, the boy placed his hand on Yukimi's, preventing her from putting on new bandages.

"Do it later, Yukimi-ya. I don't think I will be long."

Yukimi lowered her hand with a disapproving frown, "Fine."

*^.^*

Yukimi pressed her back against the wall a few yards away from the door to the Donquixote Pirates' dining room, having followed Law inside the building without telling him. The kitsune didn't want him to accidentally give her away if something went unexpected. Her ears twitched as Law stepped inside the room full of pirates.

"What do you want? We're having dinner," came a woman's voice. There was a pause before she spoke again. "Throw him out," the woman said in a dismissive manner.

"It's fine," it was Doflamingo's voice.

"What?!" the woman sounded surprised.

"I called him," he answered.

"You did?"

Trébol started chuckling, "Hey, hey, Law! It's been a week now. Don't you wanna get out of here? You've been getting beaten by Corazón since you came here."

Yukimi gritted her teeth hearing that.

"Kids run away and so do adults. That's why we only have the best here," Diamante started. "How much longer will a powerless brat like you last?"

"I'm not going anywhere!" Law practically shouted.

"If so…"

Yukimi slapped her hands over her mouth to keep quiet from her sudden surprise, ' _What kind of voice is that?!_ '

"Don't forget the 'Blood Law', no matter how you get harmed," came what sounded like an old man. "The Family will fall apart if a member defies us Executives' authority."

"I once laughed at Pica and almost died from torture," came Buffalo's voice followed by Baby 5's laughter.

"It doesn't scare me. I've seen hell," was Law's reply.

Yukimi swallowed at what Law said. It was true, Flevance had become hell so quickly, it was surreal. But it happened, end of the story.

"You can bluff as you like," Doflamingo said chuckling. "But Corazón is my precious, biological, younger brother. If anyone so much as cuts him once, I will...put them to death!"

Yukimi narrowed her eyes, thinking of how Law had so openly expressed to her how much he wanted to kill Corazón. The albino was kicked out of her train of thought from a sudden commotion.

"Look at his skin!" exclaimed a burly sounding man along with a gasp, surely from the woman from before.

"It's Amber Lead Disease! It's agonizing pain if you get infected!" the woman cried out.

"What?! It's contagious?! You're disgusting! Get out of here now!" Buffalo shouted in terror.

Yukimi instantly flicked out her kunai from her holster, ready to charge in there and kill the damn pirates, but was stopped by Doflamingo slamming his fist down on the table.

"Giolla, don't spread information which is nothing more than a rumor. Shame on you. Look, Buffalo believed you. Amber Lead Disease came from poisoning. It's not contagious."

"But stay away from me just in case!" Buffalo demanded still frightened. "I don't wanna catch such a disease!"

There was a pause where Yukimi tried relaxing her grip on her weapon, forcing herself to slowly lower it.

"Hey, are there any other survivors in the White Town, Flevance?" Doflamingo asked now curious.

Yukimi stilled. Will Law say anything? Surely he wouldn't. After all the trouble she went through in keeping her existence from these pirates from knowing. The albino shook her head, ' _Of course not, you idiot! He wouldn't!'_

Law hesitated but quickly answered, "I don't know. I was only desperate to escape."

Yukimi let out a breath she didn't realize she was holding.

"How did you get out?" Doflamingo questioned.

"I crossed the border hiding under a stack of dead bodies," Law replied without emotion.

Yukimi shivered at the memory as she briefly heard someone muttering they were trying to eat.

"What are you holding grudge against?" the leader of the Donquixote Pirates inquired.

"I don't believe in anything anymore!" Law replied in a flat tone before changing into a more angry one. "I'm not afraid of dying!"

Yukimi placed her kunai back in its holster on her thigh, frowning.

"Corazón! Don't push your luck! I will get my revenge on you at any cost!" Law warned the tall blonde.

"Hey, are you stupid? Weren't you listening?" Baby 5 started accusing. "They'll torture you if you do such a thing! Impalement! Don't mess with pirates!" Baby 5 said before hitting Law. "Children are idiots. They think their apologetic tears will guarantee forgiveness."

Yukimi's ears then picked up whimpering, ' _Is that Baby 5 crying? What, did Law glare at her or something?_ ' Shaking her head, the albino took her leave.

*^.^*

 _Grumble_

Law crossed his arms as Yukimi looked toward the tree canopy above them, "Don't lie to me Yukimi-ya, you're hungry."

Said kitsune slowly shook her head. "No," she started just as slowly, "you heard your own stomach and are trying to pin it on me."

Law narrowed his eyes at her as they sat on a tree branch Yukimi had seated them on earlier. "Don't think I didn't notice that you were giving me more food than yourself in our rations before we lost them," Law stated as he noted how the kitsune was avoiding eye contact.

Yukimi pursed her lips as she watched through the screen of leaves at the scrapyard beside them. It's been a couple of days since she snuck inside the hideout behind the boy next to her. She felt antsy every day now. Yukimi had managed to keep her and Law from starving by hunting small game such as rabbits, but there weren't many around, to begin with. "You're getting some food in ya Doc, so be happy about that alright?" the albino grumbled. She was also cranky from not getting enough sleep. Yeah, her paranoia of being discovered by the Donquixote Pirates was keeping her awake at night. That's why she had decided that the two of them start sleeping off the ground. Aka, sleeping in the trees.

"Well as a doctor in training, I advise you to eat more."

Yukimi raised a brow as she looked back at him, "Hm touché."

Law rolled his eyes, he knew what was going on. Yukimi maybe a ninja, but he could read her like an open book. She was nervous being so close to the Donquixote Pirates. He's seen her wringing the hem of her hoodie when she's off in her own world. The circles under her eyes were darkening and making her already red eyes look a little unnerving. "Yukimi-ya?"

"Hm?"

"Why are you so nervous here? Aside from the Donquixote Pirates are dangerous people?" he added the latter as an afterthought.

Yukimi didn't say anything for a while as she stared off into space towards the scrapyard. Her tails and ears sagged, "Remember how old I am?"

Law nodded, "284."

"When I was 120 years old," Yukimi closed her eyes as she began. "I came across another kitsune. I never knew his exact age, but I remember the number of tails he had. ...Nine tails Law," she whispered the last part with a faraway look. The kitsune pulled Law closer to her in a side hug. "That's old and powerful, but he was off."

"Off?" Law looked down at the albino's hand when she started wringing her clothes again.

"Kinda insane...broken...a shell of his former self I bet. He had this mark on his back… I wasn't able to help, because within the day I met him, he committed suicide."

Law didn't say anything as she let go of their side hug to clench her clothes tightly with both hands.

"He told me he was an escaped slave of a Celestial Dragon. He was treated as an...as an animal," Yukimi spoke with a shudder before taking in a small breath. "I never told your family but...I have a phobia called Aniphobia."

"Aniphobia, to fear being treated as an animal," Law stated as he glanced at the kitsune's white, black tipped ears and tails.

Yukimi swallowed thickly before continuing, "I've heard somewhere in the Grand Line, there's a place where people get sold off as slaves. From pirates with high bounties to the exotic to the unfortunate common person, are all sold off to the highest bidder. Anyone can sell anything there. Bounty hunters mostly, but pirates can sell too. It's the one thing I truly fear. To be bought, to be sold to someone is like a death sentence in a way. Especially if you're bought by those scum who call themselves _World Nobles_." The albino raised her hands as they started shaking. "E-everytime when I think about being treated...as an animal, I f-freeze up and it gets hard to breathe…" Yukimi's whole body started trembling as her chest began to rise quickly, a cold sweat appearing over her already pale complexion. She was about to take a twenty-foot drop below when a hand shot up toward her face and snapped its fingers rapidly.

In that split second, Yukimi felt her mind and heart skip, causing her to switch forms to her fox self. Law picked her up and placed her on his lap, preventing her from tumbling down. He ran his hand from her head and down her back, soothing her. "In other words, you have panic attacks Yukimi-ya," Law informed as he held her close to his chest as he calmed her down.

Yukimi leaned her head against him, nodding. "I've read in the papers how ruthless the Donquixote Pirates are. They are the type who will do anything they please, at any time they wish. And if anyone gets in their way, that's the end of them." The fox sighed before continuing, "People like that, make me nervous to be around. Who says they won't take an interest in catching me and selling me? Even if we're not in the Grand Line…"

Law looked back up toward the scrapyard through the cover of leaves as he spotted someone walking through the metal covered ground. He paused his stroking as he glared in hatred, "Don't worry Yukimi-ya. I won't let them find you."

Steady breathing distracted Law for a moment, making him look down at the fox in his arms. He sighed when he realized Yukimi had passed out. Glancing at the scrapyard then back to the fox in his grasp, Law narrowed his eyes. Making sure he had a firm grip on her, the boy slowly and carefully navigated down the tree. Once his feet were on solid ground, he quickly sought and found a hidden spot under some bushes to hide Yukimi while he was gone. After making sure the white fox couldn't be seen, Law began to make his way toward the scrapyard with a frown set in his features, "I'll take out Corazón, Yukimi-ya. That way you'll have one less Donquixote Pirate to worry about."

*^.^*


	4. Caught

**~I blame myself for not posting sooner. This chapter was supposed to have been uploaded over a month ago. That's all I'm gonna say on the matter. Anyway! It's my best friend's birthday and I wanna wish her a happy birthday! And so I leave ya'll to this chapter. Please leave a review, guys! I need 'em to survive! I also wanted to thank Sarge1130 for reviewing every chapter so far. I love reading your thoughts on each one and I look forward to reading more from you! Thanks again!**

 _ **Long Term Hearts**_

 _ **Chapter 4: Caught**_

 ************^.^************

"You did _what?!_ " Yukimi shouted in shock, causing a flock of birds to fly away from the immediate area.

It was the next day when Law decided to reveal what happened back in the scrapyard. The evening before, the kitsune had asked where the boy had gone to after he left her under a bush. He had an odd expression when she asked, but he didn't say anything as they got ready to sleep. Now it made sense.

"I stabbed Corazón, but he didn't reveal it was me at the meeting. Now I'm apart of the crew," Law casually answered with a shrug.

Yukimi ran her hands through her white hair, making it messy as she tried to breathe calmly. "You have got to be joking! This is so messed up!" the kitsune muttered as she fixed her hair back to the way it was before her hands went on a marathon in it. ' _But not reporting on Law attacking him? That doesn't make any sense!_ '

"I have to go Yukimi-ya, we're having another meeting in a few minutes about some people who owe the Donquixote Pirates some money," Law mentioned as he turned away.

Yukimi frowned as she watched him leave. This new situation made her anxious all over again. Now they were definitely staying with the Donquixote Pirates, much to her grief.

*^.^*

Yukimi rubbed her sensitive ears as the cannons finally stopped after what seemed like hours to her when the Donquixote Pirates ran across some marine ships. She'll have to get used to cannon fire if she wants to remain with Law on these misadventures. At the moment, Yukimi was hiding under Law's bed in the room he shared with Buffalo. They had agreed that she remained hidden from the crew in this room while there was a fight going on outside, much to the albino's irritation. But he had a valid point. It wouldn't be good for either of them, especially her, if she came out trying to protect him while a battle was on. The kitsune would get caught for sure.

Yukimi sighed as she rested her furry chin on her crossed paws, trying to relax. ' _Law said he would be back here soon with dinner_ ,' the fox thought feeling grateful that the boy had been able to sneak some food for her when no one was looking. Yukimi smiled in amusement, now he was providing food for her like she did before he joined the pirate crew. Another thing she was grateful for was that the other boy, Buffalo, almost never came into the room even though he slept in a bed of his own across from Law's. Apparently, he liked being around the Family, unlike antisocial Law.

The fox groaned feeling cramped. She crawled out from under the furniture before hopping onto Law's pillow at the head of his bed. Yukimi yawned, ' _So far we've been successful at doing this for a few months_.' The fox wrapped her tails tighter around her body so that now only her black tipped ears and tails were visible on the boy's white pillow. After a few minutes, Yukimi dozed off from the comfortable pillow underneath her and the familiar scent of Law around her. It was around an hour later when there was a slight commotion outside the door, awaking Yukimi a little before trying to go back to sleep. But not a minute later, Buffalo and Baby 5 opened the door chatting away.

"Did you see how Corazón tripped? It was so funny!" Baby 5 laughed in mirth.

Buffalo was about to respond when he glanced over at Law's side of the room. He gasped at the sight of two wide red eyes staring back at them.

"Huh?" Baby 5 looked over to where the other large boy was staring at, now seeing a white fox on Law's pillow.

There was a moment of silence where Yukimi was openly staring in surprise at the two kids. Here she was, unintentionally dropping her guard while on Law's bed, totally exposed to anyone coming through the door. Then the feeling of panic was dropped into her mindset like a bomb. Flight mode was practically set on fire when Baby 5 started running over to her with a big smile.

"So cuuute!"

The fox immediately scrambled off the bed and raced out of the room from between Buffalo's legs. Yukimi could hear the two behind her already as she practically flew down the hallway. The albino looked over her shoulder seeing the two chasing after her, Baby 5 with a gleeful look, while Buffalo had a bewildered expression. ' _How could I let down my guard?! And out here on the open ocean of all places!_ ' Yukimi skidded around a corner only to nearly run into Giolla. The woman yelped in surprise as she jumped out of the way just as Yukimi ran by where her feet used to be. ' _I've gotta find a place to hide, and soon!_ ' Running as fast as she could, the fox escaped from the sudden collision of people behind her.

After several minutes of constant running, Yukimi found an open door, by that point she could hear the whole ship in an uproar and bolted inside without a second thought. The fox panted as she looked around for a hiding spot. The room she was in had to be someone's bedroom since it had a king sized bed, a desk with a chair in a corner, and a leather couch with a clear coffee table in front of it, opposite the bed and other homey things. But Yukimi wasn't looking at how the room looked, she didn't care who's bedroom it was at that moment, only to find a hole to crawl into, so to speak, and wait out the search. ' _Hopefully, I can find Law before I get caught by who knows who_ ,' the fox thought as she spotted a slightly opened closet near her. Fox ears twitched at the sound of footsteps coming closer to the still open door she came through. Yukimi's breath hitched at the sound. The fox darted into the closet and quietly pulled it closed. The albino waited with bated breath as someone entered the room. She backed away from the door to hide in the shadows of a large box next to her. Yukimi then felt one of her tails bump into something, making some noise. The fox froze, practically turning into a little fox statue.

Suddenly light filled the closet as the door was yanked open. Yukimi let out a startled canine yelp as she was apprehended. The hand on her scruff was very large on her small body, making her grow stiff as a board. But that alone didn't terrify her to death as she got a good look at the person holding her. ' _D-Donquixote...Doflamingo!_ '

"Look what I found hiding in my closet," Doflamingo chuckled darkly with a wide grin.

Yukimi's mind halted after hearing those words. She couldn't believe how bad her luck was, in fact, the fox _ran out_ of luck to be in _Donquixote Doflamingo's bedroom!_

Doflamingo's grin widened at the fox as her ears flattened against her head and her tails tucked between her hind legs in fear. "Now how did you get on my ship, little stowaway? You're an awfully long way from land," he chuckled as the fox started trembling in his grasp. "How about we go meet with the rest of the Family, shall we?"

*^.^*

Yukimi looked around at the large room which she was carried into. It had a long polished oak table and chairs meant for meetings. Along the walls were some maps of many islands, kingdoms and a large map showing the Grand Line. Before Yukimi could look at anything else, Doflamingo sat in his throne like chair at the head of the table with her in his lap, out of view from any who should be sitting. The albino swallowed dryly as his hand never left her body, keeping a firm hold on her scruff.

No sooner after Doflamingo sat down, did the rest of the Family file in and took their seats, Law coming in last. As soon as he heard Baby 5 and Buffalo had found Yukimi, he became worried for her safety. Sure, she was a skilled ninja, but the problem lied in her phobia. The albino wouldn't be able to fight very well if she was up against Doflamingo. That and Yukimi has stated in the past that the man was stronger than her, given the reports from the marines in the papers and his bounty worth.

Doflamingo observed everyone's expressions ranging from exasperation, to boredom, to disappointment, the latter mainly coming from Baby 5 and Buffalo. Law, on the other hand, looked nervous. The blonde smirked at that. "I called everyone here to discuss about a little stowaway that has been found on the ship," he began with pulling up a petrified Yukimi onto the long table in front of everybody to see.

"That's the fox we saw!" Buffalo shouted pointing at the albino.

"I wanna keep it! Can I please, can I?" Baby 5 pleaded with hopeful eyes.

"What kind of fox is that anyway? I didn't get a good look at it when these two idiots ran into me earlier," Giolla stated as she glared at Baby 5 and Buffalo.

Law swallowed as he watched Yukimi's red, disc like eyes, dart nervously between the people speaking. He could clearly see her shaking in anxiety. The boy couldn't stand seeing Yukimi in this situation.

Gladius rested his chin in his hand, elbow on the table as he gazed at the strange looking white fox. "Could this be a ki-"

"She's mine!"

Everyone stopped talking as they all turned their attention towards the newest member of the Family. Law had stood up with his hands on the table, looking determined at the fox in question.

Corazón flicked his gaze between the boy and the fox calmly.

"What do you mean, _she's_ your's?" Giolla asked with narrowed eyes.

"U-uh well…"

"I thought I saw this fox before," Doflamingo murmured as he lightly rubbed Yukimi's head.

Yukimi was short on breath as long fingers made small spidery patterns in her fur. She was clammy and ready to break out into a cold sweat. The fox looked desperately at Law for help as her teeth started to chatter lightly.

Law gritted his teeth at Yukimi's reactions to the blonde's words and actions. "Yes, Yukimi-ya is mine. She came with me from my home. She's my...pet." Law hoped said fox was too distracted to hear that last part. "Yukimi-ya is all I have left," he quickly finished.

"Hm, is that so?" Doflamingo asked, immediately receiving a nod. "Next time you withhold important information from me, you won't get off easy," he warned before releasing Yukimi. "Do I make myself clear, Law?"

Yukimi bolted over to Law, jumping into his arms whimpering and whining. The boy rubbed the albino's back, trying to calm her down. He looked back up to Doflamingo at the head of the table from under the brim of his hat, "Yes sir."

*^.^*

Yukimi sat next to Law on his bed that night, thinking about how the rest of the day went after the Family's meeting. It goes without saying that the albino was glued to Law's side the entire day. Definitely not trusting to be left in a room alone with some other member of the Family. Especially with how Baby 5 kept trying to hold and pet her, resulting in the girl almost getting her hand bitten off more than once. Though that message didn't quite go through her thick skull as she had hoped. Yukimi hadn't felt this level of high anxiety in a long time.

Law, on the other hand, was beyond irritated, borderline angry, with all the looks he was getting. From Baby 5 and Buffalo trying to hold and pet Yukimi, to Giolla's annoyed glares at her, to Gladius' inquisitive glances at the fox, to finally Doflamingo's looks. He didn't know what the blonde was thinking, but it couldn't have been anything good. Law would just have to keep an eye open for anything suspicious when it came to anything regarding Yukimi.

It was late so everybody was asleep but he and the fox next to him. Law glanced across the room towards Buffalo's sleeping form in his bed then back to Yukimi. "Are you okay, Yukimi-ya?" he asked quietly, not wanting to wake up the other boy in the room.

Said albino shook her head. "How can I be, Law? Apparently, Doflamingo has known about me all along back on land," Yukimi groaned, ears lowered discouraged.

"Surely he doesn't know what you actually-"

"Don't be naïve, Law!" Yukimi growled feeling frustrated. "Who are we kidding? That guy is not an idiot. If he's seen me more than once, and always near you, he'll make some kind of connection one way or another."

Law frowned at her response. He lied down on his side, tugging the fox along with him before pulling the covers over them. "You are not going anywhere, Yukimi-ya. You're stuck with me, remember?"

Yukimi felt a small smile overtake her lips. She suddenly felt more relaxed in his grasp, somehow feeling safe, or reassured, even if Law was just a child. "Heh, you remembered that promise I made, eh?"

"You could say that," Law murmured back as a tail wrapped around his waist, keeping him warm there. The boy relaxed feeling the soft fur on him. "Yukimi-ya?"

Said fox didn't reply, already fast asleep.

A soft smile crossed his features. Law gently pulled the sleeping fox closer to his chest to the point where there wasn't any space between them. He heard a soft sigh escape from Yukimi as she nudged further into his chest, now feeling soft warm breaths drift through his pajama top. A slight blush made itself known on Law's cheeks. He swallowed a little before resting his forehead against Yukimi's, "Goodnight."

*^.^*

As weeks turned into months, Yukimi watched how Law grew with his skills and strengths. As he grew up, the albino got to enjoy some fun moments with him. One time, the fox even cracked up laughing when she saw how Giolla had bandaged him after a battle with practically pink ribbons. The icing on the cake was the bow the woman had made on top of his head. Though, of course, Yukimi chose to laugh at the poor irritated boy when they were alone. Law got his revenge by tying a big pink bow on her while she was snoozing one afternoon on his bed. Yeah, the fox tried clawing at his face for that and failed spectacularly when she tripped over the bow's ribbon ends, tumbling headfirst into a wall.

And so, by this time we have reached a two year mark, along with many new white patches on a certain someone. Thinking of this, Yukimi curled her tails around Law's neck as she settled on his right shoulder. She, Law, along with Baby 5 and Buffalo were all relaxing near a beach at a port town, sitting on a stone sidewalk.

"Come on! We told you our real names!" Baby 5 complained at a bored Law.

Yukimi peeked around the boy's spotted hat at the whining girl, now becoming annoyed.

"So? I'm not interested," Law replied in a flat tone.

' _Well he's bored to hell_ ,' the albino thought in amusement.

"You're so uncool! You're no fun!" Baby 5 declared.

Yukimi snickered quietly so that only the 'uncool' boy could hear her. The fox turned her face the other way, pretending to look innocent when Law sent a glare her way.

He faced the two other kids again on his left, "Even if I have fun, I'll die anyway."

Baby 5 leaned closer to Law, looking at his skin. "You have quite a lot of white parts now," she murmured.

Yukimi looked at a rather large white patch on the cheek next to her. Frowning at it, she rubbed her soft furry cheek to his to comfort him.

"I don't know if I can live another year…" Law leaned the slightest towards Yukimi's rubbing, enjoying the comfort while he kept his usual scowl in front of the other two, not wanting them to see him any different than usual. "I may die sooner than I calculated," Law muttered as he stared at his hand.

"That aside, if you have a real name, tell us!" Buffalo frowned. "Or I'll tell the young master you stabbed Corazón two years ago!"

"Yeah, we will!" Baby 5 added.

Yukimi stood up on Law's shoulder, turned and faced the two kids. The fox growled low and deep as she revealed sharp fangs while her ears pushed forward in intimidation.

Baby 5 leaned away, unnerved by something so cute could be so threatening.

Yukimi stopped growling when she felt Law rub her ear, making her practically melt against him. Lucky for him, over the past couple of years, he's found a few ways to calm an agitated Yukimi pretty quickly, which came in handy plenty of times.

Law sighed thinking about his name, "Trafalgar D. Water Law."

Baby 5 tilted her head, not understanding. "Huh?"

Yukimi stiffened upon hearing his full name for the first time before turning toward him, ' _Law is a "D"?_ '

"I shouldn't tell that name to anybody, actually. I don't go by a code name like you two so it's just a little longer. 'D' is a secret name, 'Water' is a true name. For generations, my family-"

"How boring! This is not fun at all!" Baby 5 began complaining.

"Yeah!" Buffalo added his complaint too. The two kids not understanding what was just revealed to them, nor what it meant for their young master.

"You asked me repeatedly!" Law practically growled at them, making Baby 5 tear up from his creepy mean death glare.

Yukimi suddenly sniffed the air around them, picking up the scent of smoke behind them. Only immediately afterward did she find herself flipped forward and landed on her back on the stone sidewalk.

"H-Hey! Let go of me!" The albino scrambled back onto her feet to see Law dangling from Corazón's grasp. "What the...Corazón! What do you want?! Hey!"

"Oh, he's gonna get beaten up again," Baby 5 muttered as she and Buffalo watched the tall blonde carry a struggling Law off.

' _Not if I can help it!_ ' Yukimi took off after them. When she caught up to them, Law was already standing back up from being thrown.

"What are you doing?! Bring it on!" Law shouted as he fisted his hands ready to fight.

There was a quiet pause as Yukimi ran up next to the boy. She had her ears pinned back, ready to defend Law at the first sign of danger from this man.

"What you said before, was it true?"

Yukimi and Law were caught off guard. "Huh? What? Who is it?!" Law, startled, began looking around for the person speaking. But the albino, with her sensitive ears, already knew it was Corazón who spoke.

"The secret name 'D'..."

Law gasped as he turned back around facing the man, now understanding it was him that was talking.

"If it's true, you need to get out of here. Get away from Doffy!" The man turned around to face them, "Law, you shouldn't be around him!"

Law stood there frozen, not understanding what was going on. Why was Corazón warning him of danger? And the fact that the normally silent man was talking, was throwing him off completely.

The blonde then faced Yukimi, "And for someone like you, Yukimi, a _kitsune_ , should be far away from my brother!"

Yukimi couldn't take it anymore. There was a sudden cloud of smoke where the small fox was standing previously. Law jumped in surprise when Yukimi lunged out of the cover of smoke with a kunai in each hand.

Corazón was caught off guard from Yukimi's surprise attack. He clumsily tripped backward and ended up falling down on his rear as he was pushed back against one of the buildings making up the alley. When he got his bearings back, the blonde quickly realized Yukimi's wrists were crossed at his throat, bearing kunai just centimeters from stabbing his throat on either side.

"I've had enough of you hurting Law," Yukimi started as she poked his neck with one of her kunai in a clear warning. "I have been on edge for the past two years ever since we came across you, damn pirates. Don't make any sudden movements and don't tempt me Corazón," the albino hissed in a low tone. "You better have a damn good reason on why I should let you go. So I repeat myself, don't tempt me."

Corazón swallowed as he glanced at Law who was watching warily. The boy looked angry and confused but was also worried. That look was aimed at the albino kitsune who was standing over the trapped blonde. Corazón looked back at two sharp blood rubies again, seeing his reflection in them. The man briefly thought back during the past two years. How this kitsune, always in her fox form, stayed as far away as possible from his older brother but always stayed by Law's side, if not in his room, away from the rest of the crew. ' _She's definitely wary of Doffy. Yukimi was obviously scared that day when she was exposed to the whole crew, to him. But Yukimi seems to not care about herself when it comes to Law…_ '

Yukimi poked both of her kunai into the man's throat, getting impatient, "You better give me an answer before I-"

"I'm trying to get the both of you out of here!"

Yukimi carefully watched the man as an unreadable emotion crossed his eyes. The albino closed her own for a moment to steady her agitated heart rate. When the kitsune reopened them, she slowly backed off, putting away her weapons. "...Talk."

As the kitsune stepped beside Law, Corazón brought out a cigarette and lit it without catching on fire. Now where to start?

Yukimi gave Law's shoulder a gentle squeeze as he stared at the man sitting before them. "...Talk?! Since when can you talk?!"

Corazón calmly blew out a puff of smoke, "Since always."

Law gritted his teeth, balling his fists. "So you've been...fooling Doflamingo all this time?!"

"I never told him I became mute. He just thinks so," he answered.

"That's...the same as fooling him! What are you thinking-"

"Woah, woah, woah," Corazón interrupted making Law stop. "Silence." With the snap of his fingers, an invisible ring grew around them, making everything near the three silent as the grave.

Law's eyes grew as wide as saucers, "What?!" He couldn't hear the town's people outside the alleyway. The boy was so shocked he didn't notice Yukimi's hand leaving his shoulder.

Yukimi had her hands next to her furry ears with a shocked expression upon her features. Her jaw hung open as her ears twitched and moved in every direction the muscles in her ears could possibly move, straining to hear anything at all, while the kitsune's hands cupped at the sides of soft white ears trying to amplify any sound. Yukimi has never heard such silence before in her life. To say the least, it disturbed her greatly. Out of the corner of her eye, the kitsune saw a black cat chasing after a rat from a dumpster nearby, but no sound. Yukimi felt so imbalanced, it was distorting. As a result, she collapsed onto her knees. "The sound...where's the sound?!"

"Yukimi-ya! Are you okay?!" Law shook her shoulders a little, only able to get her to look at him. Law looked back at Corazón, "Why is there no sound? I see people talking but I can't hear them. I can only hear Yukimi-ya, why?!"

Corazón glanced at the albino, watching how she slowly started to relax from being able to hear Law's voice next to her. "You were so loud, I had to put up a wall, a soundproof wall," Corazón explained lowering his cigarette, eyes back on the boy. "You can't hear the sound from there, huh? They can't hear us either." The blonde internally sighed as Law tried looking around for the 'wall' surrounding them. "That wall is invisible. I ate the Calm Calm Fruit and became a silent human."

Law swallowed with newfound wariness, "A Devil Fruit user?!"

"...Of course."

Law turned back to the kitsune next to him, "Yukimi-ya?"

Said kitsune blinked before going on, "How else have I not been able to detect you, but only by sight and smell?"

Corazón smirked at that.

Law gritted his teeth as Yukimi slowly got up to stand next to him. "What...what's wrong with you?! You lied about everything! Don't tell me that...making a blunder like an idiot is also…"

"Yeah, of course," the blonde replied easily as his black, feathery coat caught on fire. "It's all acting."

"Don't lie! Your shoulder is on fire!" Law yelled ticked off.

Yukimi just stood there in confusion as Corazón quickly put out the fire before he relaxed back against the wall. The blonde breathed out smoke from a new cigarette, "I've done those dumb things since I was a kid. I can't change that. I'm dumb."

"Being clumsy has nothing to do with being dumb," Yukimi said putting her hands in her hoodie pockets, getting a shrug from the man.

"How is the most ridiculous part of you, the only thing that's not a lie?!" Law shouted in growing anger, causing Yukimi to sweatdrop. "Why do you hide things from your friends?!"

"I don't consider them my friends," he countered surprising the two. "What I'm trying to do is stop my brother, Doffy, from going out of control. I don't know how that beast was born from our warm hearted mother and father. He has no...humanity," Corazón grimly paused, narrowing his eyes. "He was born to be evil natured and he's never afraid of anything. The only people who know about his true brutality are the four Executives including me and the previous Corazón, Vergo."

"Vergo?"

"He's a strong man who's currently separated from the Family on a secret mission," the blonde answered. "The details of the mission have been kept secret even from the Family members. You have no business with him."

Yukimi crossed her arms, "Good, one less Donquixote Pirate to deal with."

"Anyway, don't become a beast like my brother! You gotta get out of here, Law!" The blonde turned his gaze to Yukimi, "And you need to get out of here before Doffy changes his mind and either _use or sell you!_ "

Yukimi blanched as she suddenly felt very ill at his words.

Law grabbed hold of her wrist, looking defiant at the blonde, "I won't let Yukimi-ya be taken away!" he growled, making the albino's color return. "And besides, I want to _be_ like that!"

Yukimi's ears flattened annoyed before yanking her wrist free and cuffed Law, making his fur hat cover his eyes. "Idiot! Do you think your family would want that?" she berated him while shaking her head.

It was then, the small group was unaware of the two eavesdroppers by the names of Baby 5 and Buffalo, peeking around the entrance of the alleyway. They could see Corazón and Law seemingly talking but couldn't hear a thing. Then the two noticed a strange fox like lady standing next to Law, with the same colored ears and tails as the two tailed fox Law always had with him.

"The secret name 'D', it's no mistake. You are part of that fated family, the Family of D. Back in my home, children are disciplined like this. ' _A badly behaving child will be eaten up by D_.' There have often been people who have the name 'D' who gained public notoriety and old people would frown and mutter, " _'_ _D' will surely bring us another storm_." Corazón went on.

Law narrowed his eyes, "What are you saying?! Am I some kind of monster?"

"Maybe."

"Of course he's not!" Yukimi intervened. She turned Law to face her, "Law, I've been alive for quite some time now, and I have met some nasty people that many have called monsters. Trust me when I say, you are _not_ a monster." That calmed the boy down a little.

"Nobody knows the truth, but that name has been ceaselessly and secretly inherited throughout history all over the world. And in some places, there are people who call the Family of D…'Sworn enemy of the Gods'," Corazón paused when the kitsune tilted her head in thought.

"I've heard of this somewhere before. It sounds like hell would break loose for sure if something was triggered, starting a chain reaction," Yukimi muttered looking skyward for a minute then back to the blonde.

Corazón nodded at her comment. "Say the 'god' meaning the Celestial Dragons, the purpose of your people might be 'destruction of this world'. But it's completely different in meaning from what Doffy is going for! D's must have an idea that's opposed to the god's," the man finished.

There was a long pause as Law stared at the blonde before erupting, "I don't know what you are talking about! I joined the Family to kill every single person as violently as possible!"

Furry ears lowered as Yukimi turned away a little, trying not to listen to what the boy was saying.

"I'm not your subordinate! I am Doflamingo's subordinate! I'm gonna die in a year! What should I do if I get out of here?!"

"Get out of here and look for a cure!" Corazón answered.

"There is none!" Law then turned and ran towards the alleyway's exit. "I'm gonna tell Doflamingo that you can talk and about your ability and everything!"

Corazón quickly ran after the boy, "Don't do it!"

"Law!" Yukimi sprinted after the two, not wanting Law alone with the man.

Law looked over his shoulder grinning, "You can't get away with it just by getting kicked out!"

"Damn brat!" Corazon tried to kick Law but the boy dodged at the last second. Then he pushed up on the blonde's outstretched leg, causing him to fall into a dumpster.

"I became stronger in the last two years! That serves you right!"

Yukimi ran past the dumpster as Corazón somehow caught on fire from his cigarette, "Wait up, Law!"

Just as said boy ran out of the alleyway, Buffalo called out to him, "Hey Law, you broke the Blood Law again!"

"And who was that fox lady with you and Corazón? Is she Yukimi?" Baby 5 asked just when said kitsune stepped out into the opening.

Yukimi froze when the two kids looked at her. It was like deja vu for her. "Shit!" Yukimi accidentally poofed back into her fox form, confirming what Baby 5 asked.

"I was right!" Baby 5 grinned.

Yukimi quickly jumped onto Law's shoulder, seeing a grin on his face. ' _That doesn't look good. And after what just happened between Corazón and now these idiots…?_ '

"I'll buy you ice cream if you keep quiet on what you saw," Law offered as he walked away, quickly followed by the other two.

"I want the king size that costs 500 beris!" Buffalo cheered.

"Baby 5, lend me some money," Law practically demanded the girl next to him.

"Eh? O-okay!"

*^.^*

Yukimi sat leaning against Law's leg trying to relax as they waited for Corazón to return to the flamingo themed ship. She approved of Law keeping silent, but for personal reasons, the fox was just thankful she wouldn't have to face Doflamingo for the moment. Every time the albino was in the same room as the captain of the Donquixote Pirates, she couldn't shake the feeling he was watching her. Sure, Yukimi knew to be careful around the man, but every now and then she'd feel her skin crawl and a shudder run through her when his eyes were on her. The albino wasn't sure but hoped Doflamingo hadn't seen her in her human form. If it ever came down to revealing herself to fight, she'd preferred to catch him off guard.

Her ears twitched hearing Law chuckle as he stood up, making her stand as well. Yukimi hadn't paid attention, she realized, as they walked out from hiding that Corazón was back and that Doflamingo had just finished speaking with him.

"I decided not to tell him," Law said resting his hands on his hips. "I thought twice and remembered I owe you for keeping quiet about me stabbing you two years ago. We're even now." Law chuckled again as he walked up the gangplank.

Yukimi stayed behind after making sure a certain ever grinning pirate wasn't close by. She then faced Corazón, "Your welcome on convincing him not to talk."

He looked down at the fox, still on edge, "...Thank you."

Yukimi shook her head, "I'm only keeping Law off of Doflamingo's radar as much as possible." The fox then scampered after Law.

*^.^*

Everything happened so fast it left Yukimi dazed. All she knew was that at one moment she and Law were onboard the Donquixote Pirates ship ready to disembark when she smelled smoke behind them. Then they were suddenly tossed in a bag and the next thing Yukimi knew, they were tossed onto a small sailing boat, tied up while Corazón untied the rope from the dock. Basically…

"This is kidnapping!" Law screamed. "Untie us! Hey!"

Yukimi laid next to the screaming boy, practically hogtied. Talk about humiliating. "Where are you taking us, Corazón?!" Yukimi growled, ears pinned back.

"Corazón you jerk! I'll make you pay for this! Say something! Hey!"

 _Pudududu, pudududu, pudududu…_

"Hey pick up the Transponder Snail! Isn't it Doflamingo?! I'll talk! Pick it up!" Law tried getting out of his binding rope to get to the ringing snail but couldn't.

 _Pudududu, pudududu, pudududu…_

"I said pick it up! Pick it up!"

 _Pudududu, pudududu, pudududu…_

"Doflamingo help! What are you gonna do to us! Hey!" Law shouted agitated.

After hours of sailing, Yukimi was grateful that Law had eventually calmed down and had even fallen asleep. She eyed warily yet curiously as Corazón leafed through books about hospitals. Letting a small sigh escape through her nose, the albino wiggled closer to Law as the blonde started to dial someone on the Transponder Snail. Just as she got comfortable, Law woke up.

"Are you calling Doflamingo?! Hey, help me!"

From Law's sudden yelling, Yukimi heard more than the Transponder Snail ringing. "Would you shut it Law! My ears are ringing 'cuz of you! How would you like it if someone suddenly yelled into your sensitive ears, huh?!" The fox glared at Law, gritting her teeth as she felt her eardrums ring.

Law was taken aback as the albino glared at him, "S-sorry Yukimi-ya."

 _Click_

" _Rice crackers!_ "

"Rice cracker pellets. It's me," Corazón answered to whoever was on the other side.

" _Oh, it's Rosinante, isn't it?_ "

"I'm taking a break from my mission for a while."

" _Are you in trouble?_ " The voice on the other end sounded a little concerned.

"No, it's personal."

" _Okay, got it. How are the kids and that kitsune? Are they still there even though you're giving them a hard time?_ "

"I don't think they will leave anytime soon…"

" _The Family's become quite ill-famed now. Be careful_ ," the voice warned heavily.

"Okay."

" _I entrust this case to you so do whatever you like. Keep me updated_."

"Roger that. I'll send you the details in writing," Corazón replied before hanging up.

"Who were you talking to just now?! You said 'mission'! Are you a Navy soldier or something?!" Law growled in unease.

"You don't like Navy soldiers?" Corazón asked as he smoked.

"People tying into the Government make me _sick!_ I hate them!" Law shouted in disgust.

Yukimi sighed as she sat up the best she could while being hogtied. "Corazón, if you lived through what Law has experienced at his age, then you would feel the same way," the fox said calmly. But within Yukimi wondered if she should worry about someone else knowing about her or not. Though it would seem whoever that was on the other side of the Transponder Snail wasn't apart of the crew.

"I'm not a Navy soldier," the blonde stated as he blew out some smoke.

"Really?!" Law retorted in sarcasm.

*^.^*

"Hey! Let go of me, Corazón! I don't wanna go to a hospital!" Law shouted as he struggled to get out of the blonde's grip on his shirt collar. After a few days at sea, the three came to a large town where the first of the many hospitals on Corazón's list was located. Here we can see them walking down a sidewalk, looking for the hospital.

"Stop acting so predictably like a normal child," Corazón grumbled as he glanced at a handful of papers he was carrying.

Yukimi walked on the other side of Law, hands in her hoodie pockets. "Corazón, I can assure you this hospital won't help Law," she warned in a low tone as her ears lowered.

"Of course this hospital will help! That's what hospitals are for," he replied looking down at the still struggling boy. "I'm gonna cure your disease! I'm gonna take you to every single hospital!" Within minutes after that statement, they turned a corner to find the large hospital they were looking for. "Look, it's a big hospital! They'll cure you!"

Yukimi sighed as she pulled her hood up and poked her ears through two holes. She and Law knew this was going to end in a disaster.

Soon they were lead into a doctor's room where the doctor and his assistant came in a few minutes after them. "So what seems to be the problem?" the doctor asked.

Yukimi glanced at the two already knowing how they will react once they realize why they were there for. ' _That assistant is butt ugly_ ,' the kitsune mentally commented as she leaned against the wall next to the door, her glare towards the pale faced woman hidden by her hood.

"He needs the cure for the Amber Lead Disease," Corazón answered calmly.

The assistant dropped her clipboard in shock. "A-Amber Lead Disease?!" the doctor backed away slowly.

"It's been a while now. Don't you have good medicine for it, Doc?" Corazón asked.

"E-e-excuse me but where are you from…?" the man asked Law nervously.

"...Flevance," Law answered looking away.

"The White Town!" the doctor cried out in fear as he and his assistant held onto each other.

"Yikes! No! I'm gonna get infected!" the ugly woman shrieked as her already pale face blanched more.

"H-hey! Bring me antiseptic and gloves and a gas mask now! And call security and the Government! Hurry up!" the doctor demanded his assistant in a very non-discrete manner.

Corazón looked on in shock as he took off his dark sunglasses at the doctor and assistant.

Yukimi growled before she lunged at the ugly assistant, quickly giving her a knuckle sandwich and managed to knock out a couple of teeth. "As far as I'm concerned, you've always had it, to begin with, you white faced bitch!" the kitsune snarled as she stood over the cowering woman on the floor with a bloody nose and mouth. But Yukimi already knew she wasn't making things better only worse, she just couldn't help it though.

"Forget it!"

"Law!"

Law stopped at Corazón's voice, his teeth clenched as tears began pouring, "See?! I'm not even a human anymore!"

Yukimi turned back to where the boy was sitting only to find him running out of the room. "Law!" Corazón stood by in shock at what was happening while the kitsune chased after the poor boy as the doctor started yelling at him. Yukimi ran past panicking staff and patients as she saw Law run out of the building. "Law wait up!" Yukimi threw open the doors as she ran after the fleeing boy. When the kitsune caught up to him, she grabbed him from around his waist and leaped into a large tree close by.

Law wrapped his arms around her neck as he cried into her shoulder, his tears soaking into her hoodie.

Yukimi bit her lip at the sight of Law crying like that. Then an idea popped into her head. She pulled out her white ocarina from under her shirt collar, "Hey, how 'bout I play my music, okay Law? Will that help?" The albino felt him nod slightly. The kitsune then started playing her lake guardian's song, letting the familiar soothing melody waft through the air around them. As Yukimi played, she heard an explosion from the hospital. ' _That must've been Corazón_ ,' she thought, now hearing footsteps coming closer to their tree.

"Law! Yukimi!"

Yukimi continued to play her ocarina as Corazón quickly found them on a high branch in the tree, out of his reach. The kitsune gave him a look that clearly said to _shut up or else_ , making the blonde snap his mouth shut and not say a word. Then she moved her two bushy tails to her front to cover up the teary eyed boy, shielding him from the blonde's view. After another minute, Yukimi finished her song, letting her instrument hang from her neck by its brass chain. It was then she felt a tear of her own slip down her cheek. Yukimi raised her hand to wipe it away when Law shifted in her lap, looking up at her with red eyes. He reached up and wiped away her tear as he sniffed, making her smile softly at him. The albino hugged Law in return, "I'm not gonna leave you. I gotta protect and watch out for ya, after all," she whispered, seeing the boy's red rimmed eyes flicker with something. Bushy tails uncovered the two as the kitsune tightened her grip securely around Law, then dropped out of the tree to land a few feet from Corazón.

"That was the worst hospital ever!" Corazón remarked angrily as they walked away from the emblazed hospital. "I'm sorry. Did it bring back old memories?" the blonde asked looking at the two as Yukimi put Law back on the ground so he could walk himself.

Law quickly snatched the kitsune's wrist, almost cutting off circulation. He usually wasn't clingy, but with how the events from the hospital made old terrible memories resurface, the boy felt like he couldn't let Yukimi go, needing the mental support from someone who understood him. "This is why I told you! I don't wanna go to any hospitals!"

Yukimi grimaced slightly from Law's tight grip but made sure that look was wiped from her face for Law's sake. "I warned you Corazón. There is no cure!" she said through clenched teeth, glaring at the path ahead of them. ' _If only there was some way…_ '

"Nonsense! That one was terrible! But I'm sure there'll be a good doctor in the next one!" Corazón tried reassuring them.

"I don't wanna go!"

And so, the trio went from hospital to hospital, from town to town, looking for a cure that didn't exist. Even though Corazón was trying his best to help Law, it always ended in disaster and Yukimi was left to try and pick up the pieces after each failure.

Six months later in the shadow of a hospital, is where we can find the trio on a rocky shore in the evening. Law was asleep curled up next to Yukimi in her fox form, keeping him warm from the chilly night air, while Corazón sat further away from the close pair, drinking in despair.

Yukimi awoke to a bottle shattering on the stone. She heard Corazón muttering to himself about how he felt sorry for Law before slowly walking towards them. She kept her eyes closed, pretending to still be asleep.

"...I'm sure you don't want...this idiot who keeps hurting you...to say something like this but..."

Yukimi felt the blanket Law had kicked off at some point being pulled back over them.

"You're still a rude little boy..." Law turned a little in his sleep, tugging her closer. "...and hearing you say 'I'll die soon' is...heartbreaking... You...stabbed me...that day but...it didn't hurt at all!"

Yukimi frowned as she realized that Corazón was crying.

"I know you were the one in pain! You poor thing, Law! And you Yukimi...you went through everything with him! Yet...you continue to...let this idiot try but fail to help him!"

She then heard Corazón walk away as he continued to cry. She bit her lip as tears began to drip and cascade down from her eyes. Yukimi then felt Law's hand tighten on her back, making her open her glossy red eyes at him, only to find him crying too.

The next morning Yukimi stirred the morning's breakfast. She fiddled with her hanging ocarina as she watched their morning meal cook.

"Cora... Hey, Cora!"

Yukimi looked over her shoulder to find Law waking Corazón up. The man looked up sleepily.

"Breakfast is ready," Law said in his usual scowl.

Corazón quickly sat up with a shocked expression, slowly pointing to himself.

"What is that face?!" Law shouted irritated.

"You just called me Cora..." Corazón said in awe.

"Shut up and eat breakfast!" Law quickly fired back.

Yukimi grinned giggling, making the man look over to her, "C'mon Cora!"

A grin slowly grew on Corazón's face.

*^.^*


	5. Corazón de Oro

**~Good Lord its been a while since I've last posted. Heh, I sound like a broken record. But let's face the facts now, shall we? When it comes to me updating I almost never stay on a consistent schedule, and that's fine for the most part. As long as I post at least two chapters per year, I'm happy with myself. Another thing, over the past few months life has put me through the Blinder of Hell on Earth routine. So I ask y'all to bare with me with my hideous update schedule. Anyways! I've gone back over all the chapters on here and fixed/changed a couple of things, nothing too major. ...Though I seem to keep going back and forth on calling Law's disease "Amber Lead Disease" and "White Lead Disease". After this chapter, I hope I won't need to deal with it again until more of the dub comes out since I'm basing certain terms off it. Except for Law's adorable "-ya" suffix. I love it too much to change it to "Mr./Ms.". I've also gone back over the previous chapter and this one and changed all "Cora-san"s to "Cora"s so it'll match the manga since that's what I believe Law will be calling Corazón in the dubbed episodes in the future. Okay!** **I hope y'all will enjoy this chapter!**

 _ **Long Term Hearts**_

 _ **Chapter 5: Corazón de Oro**_

 ************^.^************

 _Pudududu, pudududu, pudududu, pudududu, pudududu, pudududu, pudududu, pudududu, pudududu…_

"Hey, Cora! Cora!"

 _Pudududu, pudududu, pudududu, pudududu, pudududu, pudududu…_

"I like how it sounds. Call me again!" Corazón blushed happily.

"Cut it out!" Law glared at the grinning man.

Yukimi sweatdropped, "Cora, you should really answer the Transponder Snail already."

"Don't be shy!" Corazón giggled gleefully before answering the snail.

" _It's me, Corazón._ "

' _Doflamingo!_ ' Yukimi's tails bristled as she glanced at Corazón watching him tense as all previous happiness vanished.

" _Corazón, you're there, aren't you?_ "

Corazón eventually slowly reached over and tapped the snail three times.

" _It's been six months since you three left. Are Law and his little fox with you?_ " the blonde on the other end asked.

Law stood there tense at hearing his name. He looked over to Yukimi, noticing her pale as he heard three more taps.

" _I see. I'm glad you guys are okay. Have you found a good doctor?_ "

Corazón then tapped two times.

" _I thought so. Bring those two and come back to the ship. We might be able to cure the disease._ "

Law gasped staring at the talking snail in shock.

" _I got information about the Ope Ope Fruit. Offered a huge amount of money by the Navy, some stupid pirates who don't know it's value will accept a trade-off, it seems. The Government must be pulling the strings behind the scenes. It's risky but we'll seize it. Once we get it, because of the nature of its power, the person I trust the most should eat it. You eat it, Corazón. And cure Law's disease,_ " Doflamingo revealed.

After that, Doflamingo hung up. No sooner after _that_ , Corazón quickly picked up Law and started swinging him around. "It's good news, Law! You have a chance to survive! Forget about foolish doctors! If we can get the Ope Ope Fruit, we'd be able to cure your Amber Lead Disease!"

"What's the Ope Ope Fruit?" Law asked when the blonde stopped spinning.

"It gives you the ability to modify human bodies! You can perform miraculous operations and even cure unknown diseases with it!" Corazón grinned clearly ecstatic about the new development.

"I don't believe in that magic crap..."

"Can it really be done, Cora?" Yukimi asked.

"Yes! And it's no magic, Law. You need medical knowledge!" Corazón then dropped Law back to the ground, making him stumble a little. "I know that you're the son of a doctor who was trusted by the people of Flevance! Since the time you were able to understand, you were learning medical knowledge and techniques, weren't you?!"

Yukimi chuckled as she placed her hands on her hips. "You have no idea how hard it was to drag him away from his books when I first met him, Cora," she grinned at the memory.

"Yeah so, but...what does it have to do with this?" Law asked confused.

"So, it's perfect for you to eat it!"

"Me?!" Law pointed to himself in disbelief. "Doflamingo said you should eat it!"

Corazón sighed shaking his head, "A person will die if they eat two Devil Fruits. Doffy said that because he doesn't know that I'm a Devil Fruit user."

Law's eyes widened.

Corazón closed his eyes, "You, Yukimi and I... We won't go back to the Family!"

"What?"

Yukimi's ears perked up, "Really?!"

"I decided so when I noticed this journey would take longer than I thought," Corazón explained as he took his cigarette out of his mouth. "I think Doffy knows that I'm a traitor by now."

"But he didn't sound like it. He said you should eat it..." Law said, still not quite understanding what was going on.

"There is another reason for Doffy to say he wants me to eat the Ope Ope Fruit!" Corazón frowned.

Yukimi crossed her arms, wondering what kind of power the fruit has that has Corazón agitated by what Doflamingo wanted.

Corazón knelt down and held Law's shoulders, "Listen, we'll get a jump on Doffy and the others and steal the Ope Ope Fruit! You eat the fruit! When you get cured, let's go hide somewhere!" Corazon turned back to his Transponder Snail and started dialing it, "Prepare to set sail! We'll get the Ope Ope Fruit at any cost!"

Yukimi faced Law, "C'mon Law, let's prepare the boat." She turned away as Law started to pick up a bag as the kitsune walked off to clean up their small camp. Within five minutes everything was picked up and ready in the boat to sail, save for her, Law and Corazón. The albino sighed satisfied with the floating vessel in front of her, all ready to set off with everyone onboard.

"LAW!"

Yukimi whipped around at Corazón's scream, making her heart almost stop. "Please be wrong, please be wrong!" the kitsune pleaded as she sprinted back to Law and Corazón, only to find the boy passed out in a fever with the tall blonde hovering over him, not knowing what to do. "Law!"

Corazón looked up at her with tears in his eyes, "What do we do Yukimi?!"

The kitsune sprinted back to the boat, quickly coming back with a wet rag in hand, "If the Ope Ope Fruit really is what you say it is, then it's Law's _only_ chance to survive Cora!" Yukimi folded the cold wet rag on the boy's forehead. "The boat is ready Cora, I'll bring Law in a second."

The blonde man nodded before he scrambled back down to the awaiting vessel.

Yukimi felt along Law's cheeks, feeling the fever's heat before checking his pulse, "Please Doc, stay strong for me!"

*^.^*

' _Three days before we make it to the location_ ,' Yukimi thought tiredly as their boat was tossed and bumped along the large waves. ' _But now we have to deal with a storm! What bad timing!_ '

"Dammit! Why does the waves have to be so choppy now?!" Corazón held onto the side of their small boat and Law as tight as possible.

"Cora..."

"Huh? What's wrong Law?!" the blonde looked down at the boy in his grasp.

"The Government knew that we would die, but they kept making us dig up the White Lead, for money!" Law revealed weakly.

Yukimi was in her fox form curled around the boy's neck, trying to keep part of him warm and dry from the rain. She closed her eyes shut when the memories came circulating back.

"My family...the people of Flevance...the Government killed them!" Law looked up at Corazón, "So if you're a Navy soldier allied with them, tell me the truth."

"That's absurd! I'm not a Navy soldier!" Corazón immediately denied.

Law closed his eyes grinning, "Good!"

"In fact...you need to realize, stealing the Ope Ope Fruit means we'll make enemies of everybody... Doflamingo, the Navy and the Government! We'll be chased by all of them! You better be prepared to fight to live!" the blonde warned them of the inevitable.

Yukimi faced the blonde with a toothy grin, "You better believe I'll fight!"

*^.^*

Yukimi pressed her furry cheek against Law's to help him keep warm as Corazón secured the boat. She felt Law get up, causing her to readjust her balance on his shoulders as he walked over to the tall blonde.

"Law, Yukimi, I won't be long. Wait here..." he stopped and looked down at them as Law held onto his black feathered coat. Corazón nodded in understanding. "Hold on tight," he instructed with Law on his back before he began scaling the rope up the cliff face.

Once up they soon reached the ghost town below a mansion where it seemed a large rowdy party was being held. Corazón eyed the mansion for a moment as he walked inside an abandoned building where he was going to hide the two. The blonde turned back to the door after Law sat against a crate inside the building. "Law, I can't take you with me from here. I know it's hard but… Wait here for a while. Yukimi's with you so you'll be safe. I'll be back in no time. With the Ope Ope Fruit!" Corazón said grinning with a slight blush from the cold and a victory sign. That made the two smile. The tall blonde then left the duo.

Yukimi wrapped her tails snug around Law's neck as he walked over to the door where Corazón had left them not too long ago. "Law let's stay inside where it's a bit warmer," she insisted as the boy opened the door. The fox sighed as the boy ignored her and sat down on the snow covered steps, watching Corazón run off towards the mansion in silence.

Yukimi hopped off of Law and changed forms. "Agh cold!" she yelped to herself before she pulled out her ocarina. "Want some music to pass the time, Law?"

Law nodded as he opened his blanket for her, to which she greatly appreciated with her not very winter friendly clothes. Even though the blanket was thick and helped keep their body heat close to them, Law still felt the kitsune shiver almost constantly next to him.

Tugging the blanket around her side tighter, Yukimi began playing her usual music piece. Only a minute into it they noticed a bright light on them. They looked up to see an explosion had occurred in the mansion. Shortly after Yukimi heard some guns going off, making her frown.

After some time watching the building burn, Yukimi had noticed a lone figure slowly making their way to them. Law had passed out just minutes before, so she wrapped him up in his blanket, picked him up and ran over to the figure who she knew was Corazón. Yukimi smiled upon seeing he had made it back to them and that he had possession of the Ope Ope Fruit.

Corazón grinned back before looking over to Law, grin vanishing, "Is he...?"

"He's just asleep, Cora," Yukimi reassured making sure the boy stayed on her back.

Corazón nodded, "We need to move on."

"Right," the kitsune agreed before they moved out of the area. Yukimi noticed how the blonde next to her was moving slowly, "Cora, are you okay?"

"I'm fine, but you look absolutely freezing!" the blonde looked at her with worry.

Yukimi couldn't help the shudder that wracked through her body at that moment, "It's okay, Cora. I'm not going to get frostbite." The man didn't look convinced, just like the kitsune wasn't convinced of him being ' _fine_ ', but kept quiet. Soon they stopped at a broken stone wall, setting Law down against it. Yukimi let a relieved breath out when he slowly opened his eyes to see Corazón grinning at him with his victory sign.

"Cora. Good, you're okay," Law smiled in relief.

"Silence!" Corazón said snapping his fingers. Once the invisible soundproof wall was made, Corazón's grin grew. "Look! It's the Ope Ope Fruit!" he grinned excitedly as he showed them the red heart shaped Devil Fruit.

Law panted tiredly as he looked up towards where the mansion was, "The building is on fire and I heard gunshots, so I thought maybe something happened to you..."

Yukimi frowned, she had thought he perhaps hadn't heard the guns. The kitsune had assumed he had passed out beforehand. Apparently, she was wrong.

"Hey! That's beside the point! You gotta cheer!" Corazón practically shouted. "This Devil Fruit will save your life!"

"But even if I eat it, you don't know if it will cure my disease..."

Yukimi's ears drooped. "Don't think like that! Of course, it'll save you!" the kitsune tried convincing Law as she knelt next to him.

"What are you talking about?! It will!" Corazón's voice rose as he then forced the Ope Ope Fruit into Law's mouth.

"C-Cora?!" Yukimi raised her hands to stop him but wasn't sure what to do.

"Now, eat it! Here! Eat it quickly!"

"What are you doing...?!" Law's voice was muffled by the fruit. "Gross...!"

"There! Chew it like this! Chew it up and swallow it down!" Corazón practically yelled as he shoved the rest down Law's throat.

"Cora take it easy!" Yukimi pushed said blonde's shoulder a little.

Law gagged before finally swallowing the heart shaped fruit down. He fell forward onto his hands, shaking as the Devil Fruit started taking effect.

Yukimi let go of Corazón and started patting Law's back, "Easy Law, easy."

Law sat back on his heels, staring at his hands in shock, "H-Hey, Cora! I wasn't even ready to become a...Devil Fruit user!" There was a minute pause before Law and Yukimi stared in surprise as Corazón toppled over into the snow, not moving. "Cora? H-Hey!"

"It's good... You can...cure yourself now... We have outsmarted Doflamingo... We won..." Corazón panted into the snow.

"What's wrong Cora? Are you just tired?" Law asked looking over the man.

Yukimi narrowed her red eyes as she smelled something strong and of iron. Then she saw the red liquid seeping into the snow. "Shit! Law help me!"

With Law quickly realizing what was going on, he helped the kitsune push Corazón over onto his back. Once seeing the man covered in blood, he let out a cry of despair, "You're covered in blood!"

"Cora what happened?!" Yukimi nearly shouted as she looked over all the bullet wounds.

"Yeah… I made a little blunder…"

"To hell with that! You call this _little!?_ " Yukimi questioned through gritted teeth as she hovered her hands over the injured man. Just as the kitsune was about to start her medical ninjutsu, she noticed Law doing the same, copying her but…

"Get better! Get better! Get better! Stop bleeding! Stop! Ope Ope power! Heal him!" Law tried calling on his new power, but nothing happened.

Corazón laughed as he placed his hand on Law's head, "That's foolish of you… I told you the ability doesn't work like magic."

"Then what am I supposed to do then?!" Law's eyes widened as he remembered Yukimi's medical ninjutsu, "Yukimi-ya! Can't you-!" He stopped when he noticed the kitsune was already doing her best as her hands glowed green and hummed lightly.

"I'm trying Doc, I'm trying! But this isn't my expertise! I'm only good for light injuries! Not…" Yukimi sniffed as tears started dripping onto Corazón's black feathery coat. ' _Not gunshot wounds like these!_ '

Tears were already collecting in Law's eyes, "You...got shot because of me, didn't you!"

"I said it's not like that... I just messed up..." the blonde smiled. "Law, Yukimi...I'll be alright! These wounds won't kill me!" Corazón suddenly started coughing.

"Cora!"

"Stop talking and save your strength, Cora!" Yukimi ordered as she tried to stop the bleeding. "Law help me!" she quickly brought out her scroll.

Law nodded, unbuttoning Corazón's shirt as Yukimi brought out gauze to bandage the wounds up.

"Listen carefully, Law, Yukimi. We sure did get the Ope Ope Fruit. But it won't stop Doflamingo running wild yet!" Corazón took a breath to keep his strength up as he looked up at Law, "I'm sorry to use you when you're weakened but I need you to do me a favor."

Law nodded readily.

"I saw a Navy lookout ship off the west coast of the island..." The wounded man held up a small capsule with a lock with the Navy emblem on it. "I want you to hand this over to them... All the Navy soldiers will know what it is once they see this cylinder. This small package will save...a far off kingdom called Dressrosa," Corazón finished, handing the small capsule to the boy.

"A kingdom? But I hate the Navy..." Law muttered, looking unsure.

Corazón placed his large hand on Law's much smaller one holding the capsule, "You're the son of a doctor, aren't you? You'll be able to save more than just sick people from now on, Law. Don't get so bent out of shape. As soon as you finish delivering this, let's get off this island!"

Law nodded with a new determined look in his eyes.

Corazón grinned happily, "And let's travel all around the world, just you, Yukimi and I!"

Law nodded again before taking off, trusting Yukimi to keep the man he's begun to admire alive.

Yukimi sneezed as her hands shook as she applied more bandages.

"Yukimi, you should stop and get warm. I wouldn't want you to catch a terrible cold on my account!" Corazón grinned humorously, though seriously not wanting the albino getting frostbite.

The kitsune stopped for a moment to finally rub her arms, shivering. To say that she was freezing her tails off would be an understatement. After all, she only had light clothes on, not at all expecting to arrive at a snow covered island. She definitely regretted her choice of clothing. Thankfully though, the kitsune at least had her usual combat boots on, keeping her feet warm and a long sleeve hoodie, however thin. Her bare legs on the other hand, yeah wearing shorts was the worst idea of all. Yukimi shook her head, "N-No, I gotta finish wrapping you up. Then I-I'll get in my fox form."

Without another word, Yukimi did just that. When she finally buttoned Corazón's shirt back up, she tugged his coat closed to keep him warm. Then the kitsune pulled the man up against the wall next to them, so he could sit back comfortably. After another sneeze, Yukimi poofed back into her fox form. The albino jumped onto Corazón's shoulder where she made herself into a scarf around his neck like she's always done for Law. Yukimi snuggled as close to the man as she could, still chilled to the bone.

The blonde sighed, "Thank you, Yukimi."

"Cora! Yukimi-ya!"

Yukimi looked up to see Law riding on a Navy soldier's back, waving with a smile at them.

"He said he's gonna give you first aid! Cora!"

Corazón slowly looked up only to widen his eyes, "Vergo?!"

"Corazón?! What are you doing here?!" Vergo stopped himself. His glasses gleamed, "Huh? Did you just talk?!"

Yukimi narrowed her eyes as Law was dropped onto the ground, ' _Didn't Cora talked about a_ Vergo _on a secret mission once?!'_

"Do you two know each other? Vergo...is he...?" Then it clicked for him too.

Vergo tore open the capsule Law had given him and started reading its contents.

Yukimi jumped off of Corazón as he tried getting up only to fall forward from his injuries, "Don't that's...!"

Vergo looked back up to Corazón, "Understood, Rosinante."

Corazón reached up for the secret document, "Give it back!" Instead of getting the document back, he received a boot to his face, smashing through the stone wall behind him.

"Cora!" Both Law and Yukimi shouted in shock.

"Rosinante!" Vergo growled before Law jumped onto his leg.

"Stop it! You! Dammit dammit! You're that Vergo guy, aren't you?!" Law shouted as he tried punching the much stronger man before being grabbed by the throat.

"Vergo guy? So I guess you're Law from the White Town." Vergo lifted the boy up so he could get a better look at him.

"Law!" Yukimi cried out. She changed forms and grabbed her kunai from her thigh holster. "Let him go, ya bastard!" Yukimi yelled as she lunged at him, going in for the kill.

Vergo easily dodged her attack before grabbing her wrists together and dangled her off the ground along with Law. "And you must be that kitsune Doffy is so interested in. The white two tailed fox that always stayed by Law's side, hm?"

"Let Yukimi-ya go!"

Vergo turned back to Law, "I heard about you. I heard you three went missing. You have no sense of propriety! If you know that I'm your great _senpai_ , you call me... Vergo-san!" Vergo threw Law and Yukimi to the ground. Yukimi must've landed on something hard because when she opened her eyes, she was seeing doubles. The kitsune saw two Vergos walking closer to them menacingly with two Corazóns blocking him. "Is the brat and fox more important to you than the Family?! The second Corazón!" Vergo pulled off his overcoat, getting ready to beat them up. He kicked Corazón squarely in the ribs, making the blonde gag painfully. "I can't believe we had a rat like you in our Family!" Then the first Corazón took off his shirt and tie before covering his whole body in haki.

Shaking her head slightly, Yukimi finally got her vision cleared as she looked over to where Law was lying in the snow. "Law!" She scrambled over to him, finding his neck reddened from Vergo's grip.

Law looked up at her, "Yukimi-ya, you're okay!" He looked over to Vergo as he started kicking a downed Corazón. "Please stop… Cora... He's gonna die!"

Yukimi grabbed her kunai from where she landed before standing tall, facing the haki covered man. "Hey, you bastard! Yeah, I'm talking to the douchebag with the butt ugly bowl cut! Why don't you pick on somebody who _can_ beat your sorry ass!" Yukimi shouted jumping far away from Law for his safety.

Law looked on in horror as Vergo stopped kicking Corazón, now turning his attention on the kitsune. The brute then went after Yukimi, quickly catching up to her. Yukimi vanished as soon as the man was within a yard of her.

As Vergo turned around looking for her, several kunai came flying at him. He deflected them with his haki infused fists, knocking them to the ground, but belatedly realized there were burning tags on them. There was a big explosion right at his feet, burning the edges of his pants quite a bit as he jumped out of the black smoke. Vergo looked up, spotting the kitsune in the air several feet above him, upside down with a red glare.

Yukimi threw multiple shuriken, quickly followed by more kunai. The albino watched the man dodge her weapons while she landed, keeping her distance. She smirked, "Gotcha." Yukimi thrust her arms back. Pulling thin steel wire from her fingertips, she yanked all the weapons she just threw into the air then whipped them back with a vengeance.

Vergo turned just in time to get pummeled by the weapons.

Yukimi's grin dropped when he faced her fully. None of the shuriken or kunai were embedded in him. The haki had deflected everything and left not even a scratch.

Vergo picked up a handful of the steel wired projectile weapons off the snowy ground then yanked the albino back to him.

Yukimi yelped as she was sent flying over to the man, receiving a punch to the gut. The kitsune gagged before she was given a series of punches, varying from her stomach to her face. The albino doubled over onto her hands and knees, coughing up blood after being dropped.

Vergo grabbed hold of the kitsune's throat, lifted her up with ease and began to squeeze. "You would do well to have more respect for your superior next time, you insolent fox," Vergo scolded as he watched her squirm in his grasp as her air was slowly squeezed out, not at all bothered by the kitsune's futile attempts at clawing his haki covered skin.

"Stop it, Vergo!"

Yukimi gasped for air but couldn't take in anything as she felt her windpipe being crushed. She felt her lungs burn as everything started to feel heavy and colder than before as black blotches clouded her vision.

"Vergo!"

The haki covered man finally threw the barely conscious kitsune to the side, then slowly walked over to the boy who shouted his name.

Law was terrified for Corazón and Yukimi as neither moved from their fallen positions on the ground. He couldn't tell if they were still alive as Vergo stopped in front of him. Tears pouring down his face, Law looked up at the man in fear, before being harshly knocked out cold.

*^.^*

Law slowly came to sometime later. "Cora, what happened to us?" he asked with a cracked voice. He turned his head to his right now noticing Yukimi lying next to him, still out cold. She was covered by Corazón's coat, keeping her warm as blood was drying from a cut on her bottom lip and down her chin from coughing up blood earlier. The kitsune had dark bruises forming around her throat from being strangled, even the beginnings of a black eye was forming around her right eye. "Y-Yukimi-ya?" Law sighed in relief as he noticed she was breathing alright after being strangled. The boy looked back over to the blonde man then up at the sky, seeing white lines. "What's that?" Law asked.

"That's one of Doffy's abilities, I suppose. I've never seen it before but there's one thing I know. We have nowhere to run," Corazón grimly replied.

"What?" The sound of rustling distracted Law from the outside. He looked back over to the wounded kitsune, finding her coming to. "Yukimi-ya, are you okay?"

Said albino groaned as she slowly opened her red eyes. "Law?" She turned her head toward him, a small tired smile forming on her face. "Good to see you're okay, Doc." Yukimi looked up to Corazón, finding white lines in the sky. "Cora, what's going on?" she asked worriedly. The man turned toward her. He slowly walked to Law's side, placing his hand on the boy's cheek silently. Yukimi then realized that Law had passed out again. She watched as Corazón snapped his fingers, making his soundproof wall around them before picking the boy up. "Let's get going," he said facing her, giving her a big goofy grin.

*^.^*

Yukimi observed how Corazón moved next to a tree, holding his arm as he hid from the Family. She was glad she had convinced him to let her stay out of the trunk away from Law. To give the boy every chance available to escape, she would become a decoy when the time was right. Of course, it was hard for Law to digest the plan, but it was for the better anyway. Corazón didn't like it either. The albino knew there was a chance she might get caught, but Yukimi managed to convince Corazón in the end. It was better this way. Doflamingo was planning something nefarious with Law's fruit. What if he discovered Law was in that chest before he could escape? This was the reasoning behind Yukimi's plan. Why give that pink bastard a stone to kill two birds, when you could give him a decoy, creating a larger chance for Law to get away clean.

"That smile," Yukimi mumbled smirking to herself. "Doubt I'll ever forget a face like that." The albino rubbed her arms to create friction to keep her skin warm. She had given Corazón his coat back, saying it wasn't her's to keep. It would also make it hard for her to move around as it was like a too large a blanket for her small stature. It still didn't help the fact she was freezing her tails off again. Yukimi made a mental note to be more prepared for the weather next time.

Furry ears twitched as gunshots suddenly sounded off everywhere. She could hear the blonde's taunts from afar, making her smirk more but then grimace from picturing him getting beaten up. Shaking her head, the kitsune ran from her hiding spot behind a little vacant house, sprinting across an open area to where the mansion was. Yukimi made it there just in time to see Corazón get slammed against the treasure chest Law was hidden in. The kitsune bit her tongue to keep from shouting out, instead, she moved up to the roof for a better vantage point, not to mention to keep out of sight. Down below she watched Doflamingo walk up to his younger brother.

"It's been six months, Corazón."

Yukimi folded her ears back, practically hearing the tall bastard growl.

Corazón reached into his coat making one of the Family members, Gladius, step forward aggressively, "Young master!" But Doflamingo held out his arm, stopping them from advancing.

After a minute of silent tension, Corazón pulled out a pistol, taking off the safety. "Marine Code 01746. Commander Rosinante of the Navy Headquarters. Donquixote Family, Captain Doflamingo. I have been undercover to prevent a future tragedy of your doing. I am a Navy soldier!" Corazón knocked his head back against the chest Law was in twice before glancing up to the building to where Yukimi was, seeing her head poking out from her cover watching. "I'm sorry I lied to you..." he said closing his eyes. "I lied because I didn't want you to hate me," Corazón finished looking back at the Family.

"You fool! Do you think it'll help you to apologize now?!" Gladius shouted in anger.

"Stop telling those jokes and answer these two questions!" Doflamingo said getting angry. "Where's the Ope Ope Fruit?! Where's Law and that kitsune?!"

Yukimi tensed hearing how angry the man was. She swallowed nervously.

"The Devil Fruit... The Ope Ope Fruit...I let Law eat it! He's a Devil Fruit user now! He and Yukimi managed to get out of the cage. I imagine they've been taken into protective custody by a lookout ship from the Navy HQ by now. You can't touch them now!" Corazón declared smirking at Doflamingo.

Doflamingo clenched his teeth pissed off before Buffalo started calling out to him from up in the air.

"Young master!"

"We heard the Navy said on the radio earlier they took a boy under their care!" Baby 5 called down from on Buffalo's back.

Doflamingo turned up to them, "Why didn't you report that sooner?!"

"I rushed here even if I don't look like it!" Buffalo called back.

"I'm sorry!" Baby 5 cried out.

Yukimi blinked, ' _Another boy? It doesn't matter anyhow. This could very well work to our advantage!_ '

"Check into that quickly! I'll undo the birdcage!" Doflamingo called back up to them. "If what he said is true, we'll sink the Navy's lookout ship and get Law and Yukimi back!" Doflamingo ordered the rest of the Family with him.

"Don't. Why would you wanna go after them?" Corazón asked.

"Why would I wanna go after them?" Doflamingo repeated the question mockingly. "If Law ate the Ope Ope Fruit, he needs to be educated in order to die for me! And you can guess what I'll do when I get that kitsune, Yukimi back," he grinned.

Yukimi shivered not just from the frostbite she might be getting, but from how Doflamingo mentioned her.

"Boy...you've done tons of unnecessary things!" Doflamingo pulled out his own pistol. "Why do you wanna get in my way?!" Doflamingo pointed the gun at his wounded brother. "Why do I have to kill another member of my biological family?!"

Yukimi didn't know what to do. She desperately wanted to jump down there and help Corazón but knew she couldn't, and it killed her on the inside.

"I know you can't shoot me... You're so much like your father!" Doflamingo hissed.

Corazón grinned, "Law and Yukimi won't obey you, Doffy..." The blonde slowly started to stand up, "Affected by Amber Lead Disease, he was doomed to die in three years. But he got over it. He's not the same Law...who lost track of himself and came to visit a crazy pirate that day. There is nothing he can gain from you since you're like a child of destruction! And ever since Law came to join your crew, I've seen Yukimi come time and time again to aid him. She is very protective of Law. Yukimi has always had a mind of her own and is not the type to obey people like you! She is a clever girl who would never bow down to someone like you. So leave Law and Yukimi alone now! They are free!"

Yukimi turned away and covered her ears as Doflamingo opened fire on Rosinante. The kitsune kept her mouth shut as she quietly let hot tears stream down her cheeks in her hiding spot. When the albino finally peeked over the roof's edge to the snow covered ground below, the Family was already a good distance away carrying all the treasure chests and unknowingly Law with them. She dropped down next to Corazón's bullet riddled body. "C-Cora!"

The blonde opened his eyes to see Yukimi kneeling next to him crying. He smiled at her. "Take care of Law, Yukimi," he tiredly patted her between the ears. "I...know you will..."

Yukimi nodded as her ears drooped evermore at his words. The kitsune bent over the dying man and hugged him. "Yeah…I will," she said with a sad smile. Yukimi kissed Corazón's forehead before she sat up. "You could say, you were like the older brother he never had. Thank you, Cora."

With that being said, Yukimi vanished from his view and initiated her part of the plan. She ran all the way down to the last overlooking hill of the island to find the flamingo themed pirate ship moored next to the island. Yukimi took deep breaths from her run and calmed down. The albino quickly spotted the chest with Law inside. "Now it's my turn," she mumbled with a growing grin. Yukimi pulled out a kunai with a tied message, then threw it right next to where Law should be jumping out soon.

The kitsune was glad she had already hugged Law and kissed his forehead before she separated from Corazón and him. Because after this, there was a good chance she won't get to see him again. Yukimi cracked her knuckles before putting her hands to the sides of her mouth to amplify her voice, " **HELLOOO PINK CHICKEEEN!** "

The Donquixote Family whipped around at the voice, all staring up at Yukimi on a hill not too far from them. Doflamingo narrowed his eyes upon seeing the kitsune he's had so much interest in lately. "Well if it isn't Yukimi," the blonde grinned. "Where have you been? And where's that little brat, Law?"

"Somewhere far away. Here's a news flash if ya hadn't heard. You're _never_ gonna get him back. Law is beyond your reach now," Yukimi answered, slowly reaching back into her bag.

"That's too bad. But maybe he'll come out of hiding when he hears your screams. Think that'll work, Yukimi?" Doflamingo took a step forward, ready to attack.

The kitsune curled her lips back at his clear intention. "I think you need to shut your fucked up ugly mug, ya pink chicken. 'Cuz that ain't gonna work." Yukimi leaned into the balls of her feet, ready with both hands in her bag.

"How dare you speak to Doffy like that?!" Trébol shouted in anger at the kitsune.

"How dare _I?_ I _do_ dare, ya big blob of blue snotty shit," Yukimi growled in a smooth low tone. "After all, I was never apart of your shitty crew." The albino bent her knees in the slightest, "I was never even apart of your fucked up _Family_ to begi-" Yukimi shot up into the air, successfully dodging an attack from Doflamingo. The kitsune whipped out her hands, full of tiny black spheres. The spheres were then quickly chucked into the group of pirates, igniting on contact with the ground into an explosion of light, effectively blinding them. Yukimi, still airborne, threw multiple tagged kunai at the pirates, chuckling at the shouts of surprise and pain escaping from some of the crew from the blasts.

Doflamingo had jumped out of the targeted area just as the tagged kunai were thrown at them. Unlike the rest of the crew, he was quick enough to dodge, and deflect any projectiles that strayed towards him with his strings. The tall blonde chuckled as the kitsune landed back on the snow covered ground, "Well, I never expected our resident kitsune to have such a way with words, or the attitude to go with it. I remember how I found you stowed away on my ship, you were quite...timid. This is quite the change in personality, I must say. Very brave or very stupid."

"I merely went into the wrong place at the wrong time," Yukimi scoffed with the wave of her hand, dismissing the mere thought of being timid.

"That doesn't explain your reaction though." Doflamingo didn't miss how the albino's ears flicked back at his words. "I heard you had a fight with Vergo earlier. Seems to me he taught you and the others a lesson. How's that black eye doing, by the way, Yukimi?"

The kitsune lightly touched her right eye, the bruised area tender, but not swelling anymore. Though the darkened skin was still there and quite noticeable against her naturally pale complexion, the size of it was now smaller compared to what it was earlier. Yukimi let her hand drop back to her side. "Better actually. While you morons were chasing Cora, I healed my eye pretty well thanks to my ability." A nasty grin found its way onto her face, "But wouldn't a pink chicken like yourself like to know what it is?"

At that moment Law crawled out of the trunk, quickly spotting and grabbing the kunai with a piece of paper tied to the handle. He looked up to see Yukimi taunting the Donquixote Family away from him, keeping their attention firmly on her. Law hesitated, wanting to be with Yukimi but shook his head. The boy wiped his ever present tears as he hid behind the trunk, immediately opening the paper.

 _Run Law, and don't look back. Don't worry 'bout me, after all, I'm no pushover at what I do best. You just worry 'bout getting yourself off this forsaken island! I'm sorry I can't keep my promise on staying with you. But know that as soon as I can, I'll come find you! We'll meet up again someday, you'll see. See ya real soon._

 _Love, Dew Yukimi_

Law sniffed, desperately not wanting to leave Yukimi behind with Doflamingo. But the boy had no other choice. Law clenched the letter and kunai together tightly as he ran off, having another breakdown as his tears ran rivers over his cheeks. Praying to whatever gods above for Yukimi's safety.

Doflamingo tilted his head curiously. "A healing ability? Are you a Devil Fruit user?" The man decided to ignore the murmurings amongst his crew behind him in favor of the kitsune's response.

 _BANG BANG BANG_

The Donquixote Pirates all turned toward the ocean behind them, spotting a large Marine ship open fire on them. "Young Master lookout!" Giolla cried out as a cannonball went sailing toward their leader. Though not having to worry too much as the blonde shredded the iron ball with his strings, letting the sliced pieces crash to the snowy ground behind him. Not two seconds later did something come rushing into the group.

Yukimi laughed mischievously as she left a couple of tags on the backs of multiple members of the crew. She leaped up out of Gladius' reach, whom she just tagged, spun midair, and sent a tagged kunai sailing straight for Doflamingo's face.

Only he caught it just inches from his nose and shredded the tag with his Devil Fruit ability, "Pest!"

"Thanks for the lovely nickname, _Pink Chicken_ , I intend to be one for now!" Yukimi laughed at him as she vanished from view just as she landed. The kitsune reappeared behind Doflamingo. The giggle was his only warning before he spun around with a swipe of his strings.

The kitsune cried out when she got hit. Yukimi leaped away from a now grinning Doflamingo, holding her left shoulder where blood began streaming down to her hand to drip onto the snow at her feet. The albino grimaced as the menacing blonde stalked toward her. "Ya better stay back...or else," Yukimi warned as she held up her slightly bloodied left hand, her index and middle fingers pointing skyward.

"Or else what, Yukimi?" Doflamingo asked as the crew surrounded the two.

The kitsune grinned, ' _Hah, the morons! They still haven't realized I've placed tags on their backs!_ ' Yukimi looked around at the pirates marked with the explosive tags. She glanced toward the sea as more cannonballs came flying at them. Yukimi giggled in spite of herself as the iron spheres were either destroyed by Doflamingo or missed them.

"What's so funny?!" Trébol demanded, getting fed up with the whole situation.

"Easy, you're all fucking idiots!" Yukimi raised her hand slightly, "Kasai!"

The tags on Gladius, Giolla, Trébol, Diamante and Señor Pink immediately erupted into multiple explosions. Doflamingo frowned as his crew went into chaos before noticing the one responsible had vanished. The blonde clenched his teeth together as the Marines were soon upon them. "Dammit Tsuru, you have bad timing!"

*^.^*


	6. The Baratie and the Straw Hat

**~Hey guys! Ready for another installment of Long Term Hearts? I've got the next three chapters ready to do the last edit and post so they'll be easy to get up sooner rather than later. And better yet, I'm just _itching_ to start on the tenth chapter! Of course, there are other chapters in the future that I'm itching just as much as for chapter ten. _Can't waaiiiit!_ Lord I can't wait, got it all planned out...sort of lol. Okay, so if y'all were wondering if I was gonna go right on ahead and go to Sabaody, well nope! 'Cuz this is better. This is how Yukimi meets the fresh new Straw Hat crew! Please enjoy and please leave a review! ...please...**

 _ **Long Term Hearts**_

 _ **Chapter 6: The Baratie and the Straw Hat**_

 ************^.^************

Yukimi sighed as she leaned back against the side of her sailing boat. The kitsune rubbed her stomach as she tried to ignore the fact she was low on food, again. Yukimi pulled her hood a little more over her red eyes to shield them from the bright sun. ' _Can't believe it's been eleven years, give or take a few months since I've last seen Doc. I wonder how's he been…_ '

A shadow passed over the small sailing boat, catching the albino's attention. Lifting the brim of her hood, Yukimi spotted a News Coo circling the boat. The kitsune grinned as she stood up. Yukimi waved the bird down before taking out some money for the bird. She walked to where the bird was now perched on a crate she had on board. "Here ya go," Yukimi exchanged the money for the rolled up newspaper. "Have a safe trip!" she called after the News Coo took off.

Setting the rolled up paper to the side for the moment, Yukimi readjusted the ropes to the sail as the wind picked up a little. The albino pulled out her map of the area as she sat down on the crate. Looking over where she was at, Yukimi rubbed her fingers over the ocarina hanging from her neck. "I should be there soon, around midday I believe."

The kitsune picked up her newspaper and began reading it. Yukimi donned a bored expression as she read an article. "Damn Government, always making up boring bullshit coverups, it's getting old if you ask me. It's better to know what's _really_ going on in the world, especially if it's concerning your area," the albino grumbled after reading a different section on how the Marines had defeated a pirate crew somewhere, talking about how easy it was to spread 'Justice'. "I bet that pirate crew was just a bunch of newbies if they're saying how easy it was or something like that."

 _BANG!_

Yukimi was just turning to the wanted section when something went off in the distance. She looked up seeing a trail of smoke coming from a large fish shaped ship ahead of her. "Ah, that must be the famous floating restaurant Baratie. Must've been closer than I thought I was. But what's up with those two ships?" Fox ears lowered through hoodie earholes, feeling a wave of annoyance as a marine ship sailed further away from the other ship. "Marines, I bet it was their fault the restaurant was damaged," the kitsune sighed as she dog eared the page she was on.

As she sailed closer to the floating restaurant, Yukimi noticed a rowboat with a few marines and a nicely dressed couple dock at the restaurant. "Great, it looks like I'll be eating lunch with uniform idiots today. Need to remember to ask for a table away from them," Yukimi grumbled unhappily. As the albino prepared to dock her sailing boat, she noticed another boat with two boys and a girl coming in to dock as well. And from the looks of it, coming from the ship with a goat head on the front. When Yukimi finally docked her boat to the restaurant, the kitsune overheard the orangette she spotted earlier as she complained about someone called Luffy about not blaming the marines. Shrugging her shoulders Yukimi made sure her boat was secured before walking to the entrance where the three were.

 _Crash!_

"What was that?!" cried out the long nosed boy.

"Sounded like a table was smashed, if you asked me," Yukimi casually commented as she walked up to them pulling her hood down, letting her furry ears flip out.

"Who're you?" asked the orangette.

"The name's Dew Yukimi and you are?"

"I'm Nami," she gestured to herself than to her friends next to her, "this is Usopp and-"

"Pirate Hunter Roronoa Zoro," the kitsune's eyes widened at the swordsman before her. "I've heard you were arrested recently by the marines. How did that happen with someone of your skills?"

"Uh-"

"Wait!" Yukimi raised her hands up frowning, "Don't tell me, some idiot framed you or some bullshit? Gah! Marines will believe in anything if it meant jailing someone and looking like the good guys!" The kitsune finished putting her hands on her hips.

Zoro crossed his arms annoyed as he remembered how he met his captain. "It's a long story."

"Uh pardon me but," Usopp started as he looked at the albino's tails, "what are you?"

"Hm? Oh, I'm a kitsune." Yukimi turned around to show them her tails before facing them again.

"A kitsune?"

Yukimi nodded at Nami, "Yup."

"I've heard of your kind back from my village. Aren't you supposed to be rare?" Zoro asked eyebrow raised.

"Well, as rare as seeing a mermaid up close I guess," Yukimi said before blushing when her stomach growled. "Uh, sorry, I've been low on food lately."

"Well that's why we're here," Usopp said as Zoro opened the doors.

Once the doors were opened, all four were surprised seeing the marine lieutenant from earlier, being held by his throat by a blonde in a suit.

"Is this a fight or something?" Zoro asked as he held the doors open for the others.

"That would explain why that table is smashed," the kitsune commented seeing the debris and ruined food scattered on the floor.

"Messing with a cook of the sea is a good way to get yourself killed... Remember that well," the blonde warned glaring down on the marine he was holding up.

"A customer! You're at it again, Sanji?!" A big man walked over to the blonde, obviously angry. "What are you doing to our customer?! Isn't that a marine lieutenant?"

Sanji looked over to his coworker, "Just teaching him a valuable lesson. Gotta problem, you crappy cook? Don't talk to me that way!"

"A crappy cook has no right to call _me_ crappy! To a restaurant, customers are everything! Beating up our valuable customers, what're you thinking?"

"Customer or not, it's no different. This guy not only ruined our dishes, but he also insulted its chef!" Sanji dropped the lieutenant. "That's why I thought I should teach him a lesson."

"Tch, marines are marines," Yukimi muttered crossing her arms as the man started ranting on how he'll destroy the restaurant.

"I guess that means I can't let you leave this place alive." Sanji started marching over to the beaten marine when several other chefs grabbed him.

"Stop it, sous chef!"

"Let go of me! He started it!"

"Stop it! Stop fighting, Sanji!"

"Just who do you think you are? Huh?" Sanji growled trying to grab the marine again.

Just then the ceiling broke as a boy and an older man fell through, landing in a pile. The boy sat up looking out of breath, "I can breath again."

"Ch-Chef Zeff? What's going on?" one of the chefs asked.

The head chef looked up at the damaged ceiling, "Damn it, look what you did! You broke my ceiling! It's all your fault, boy!"

"Nuh-uh! You broke it yourself, old man!" Luffy shouted back.

"What are you doing, Chef Zeff?!" one of the chefs asked as he tried holding Sanji back. "Leave him and help us stop Sanji here!"

The head chef looked away from Luffy towards the struggling chefs and Sanji. "Hey, Sanji. Were you fighting in my restaurant again, you ingrate?"

Sanji stopped struggling as he turned to the head chef, "Shut up, old geezer!"

"What?! Who do you think you're talking to?! You wanna destroy my restaurant?! You insolent brat!" The man then kicked Sanji with his pegged leg. Zeff looked over to the grinning lieutenant, "You're another one! Get the hell outta here!" The head chef demanded, kicking the man clear across the floating restaurant, almost knocking him into another table.

"Well this restaurant sure is lively," Yukimi commented as she and the other three moved away from the entrance.

"You got that? The customers are gods!"

"Only the ones who can stand _your_ cooking."

"Patty, Sanji! If you wanna fight, go do it in the kitchen!" Zeff ordered the two arguing chefs.

Yukimi's ears twitched hearing someone running toward the entrance before a marine appeared at the front doors where they were just at.

"L-Lieutenant! Lieutenant Fullbody! We've got a problem! The Pirate Krieg's man has escaped!" the marine said in a panic.

Fullbody turned toward his subordinate, "What?!"

The marine bowed his head, "We thought he could've given us a lead on Krieg... We've already lost seven of our men."

"That's ridiculous! When we got him three days ago, he was about to starve to death! And we haven't fed him yet, have we?"

Yukimi observed the dining room as various customers started whispering about the Don Krieg Pirates.

"Isn't he supposedly the most powerful pirate in the East Blue?" someone asked another at their table.

"I'm really sor-"

A gun went off from behind the marine, causing the customers to scream out in fright as another man slowly sauntered passed the injured marine.

"We have a new customer," Patty muttered.

"He better not cause any more trouble in _my_ restaurant," Zeff replied.

Yukimi warily watched the pirate slowly saunter inside with a smoking gun to a vacant table, taking a seat.

"I don't care what it is..." he started putting his foot on the table. "Just bring me something to eat. This _is_ a restaurant, isn't it?"

Patty walked up putting his hands together with a big grin. "Welcome, ya stinking bastard," he greeted earning a collective gasp from the other customers.

"I'll only say it once more, so listen up. Bring me something to eat," the Krieg pirate demanded.

Patty rubbed his head, "I'm sorry sir, but we'll be expecting you to pay for a meal here. Do you have enough money?"

The pirate looked at him before pointing his gun at Patty, "Will a bullet be okay?"

"So I take it that you don't have anything," Patty deadpanned frowning. Before the pirate could react, he and the chair under him were smashed by Patty's large fists.

"Why that Patty bastard broke one of my chairs!" Zeff grumbled arms crossed.

"If you can't pay up, you can't eat," Patty declared standing tall, glaring down at the pirate. The other customers and chefs all cheered the chef on. The Krieg pirate's stomach growled pitifully, catching the cook's attention. "Aww, your stomach's growling there, ya filthy pirate," Patty sneered down at the pirate.

Don Krieg's subordinate glared up at Patty, "Shut up, dammit. Hurry and get me something to eat."

"You're no customer, so, get the hell outta here!" Patty all but yelled in his face. The large man then kicked the weakened pirate. Afterward, Patty turned around to the applauding customers. "Alright ya stinking bastards. If you need anything, just ask," he said as he curtsied while accompanying a big grin.

Yukimi sighed through her nose as the large chef proceeded to carry the man out. "Well, that was a show," she muttered in a flat tone as she noticed that Fullbody and his injured subordinate had already left.

"Yeah, you're right." Nami hummed before offering a smile to the albino, "So would you like to join us? It'd be nice to have more female company for once."

The kitsune opened her mouth but her stomach answered for her. "Eh heh heh heh, guess my stomach says yes," Yukimi scratched her temple feeling embarrassed. Soon the small group was seated and were served fresh, piping hot food. Yukimi grinned as she ate, "This is great stuff! I can never cook this good!"

"Mmm! This is so delicious!" Nami smiled blissfully as she swallowed some of her salad.

"So," Zoro started as he took a bite out of his lobster leg, "if I remember right, you're supposed to be really old right?"

"You're not supposed to say something like that to a lady!" Nami glared at the swordsman heatedly.

Yukimi grinned as Usopp looked between the two a little nervous. "That's okay," she waved the cautious air away. "I once scolded this guy I know when he was just a kid when he asked how old I was. You should've seen his face, it was so funny!" The kitsune chuckled at the memory. "Ahh he was fun, but to answer your curiosity Zoro, I'm 298."

Poor Usopp choked on his drink. "R-really?!" he asked coughing quite a bit from across the table from her.

"Yup."

"So what do you do, Yukimi? I see you carry some kind of dagger." Zoro leaned to the side a bit, looking at the holster on her thigh.

The albino snickered from Nami's glare at the poor straightforward swordsman. "Here, I'll let you decide," Yukimi smirked as she took her kunai from its holster and handed it over to him.

As Zoro examined the weapon, Yukimi pulled out the newspaper from her hoodie pocket. She opened it up to the dog eared page. _'Now let's see here..._ ' Yukimi flipped through the wanted section until she found a very familiar fur spotted hat. The kitsune grinned happily seeing the lone White Town survivor with a higher bounty than the last time she checked. "87,000,000 beris already eh?"

"Yukimi?"

"Huh?" Said kitsune looked up at the three looking at her. "Oh sorry! I uh-"

"You're a ninja, Yukimi," Zoro stated with slightly wide eyes as Usopp's mouth went slack in awe. "Kunoichi right?"

"Uh, shinobi if you will," Yukimi replied as she tore out a page of the wanted section. She then stashed it inside her hoodie pocket for safekeeping. "I really don't like being called a kunoichi because of how they work."

"What were you looking at?" Nami asked with a knowing look.

The albino blinked from the look she was receiving from the young woman. "Oh uh, I was just glancing through today's newspaper. Sorry, I guess that was rude of me," the kitsune rubbed the back of her head apologetic while her ears lowered a little.

"It's fine, you're in the company of pirates after all," Nami said with a slight frown as she glanced at the guys as Zoro handed Yukimi her kunai back.

"What? You guys are pirates? Wait! Pirate Hunter Roronoa Zoro is now a pirate himself?!" Yukimi stared at the swordsman slack jawed.

"Long story," Zoro repeated from earlier, waving her off.

"And I'm Captain Usopp! The brave, the courageous, the mighty-"

"You're not the captain Usopp," Zoro deadpanned, making the sniper sink in his seat.

Yukimi chuckled at Zoro's bluntness. "Have you guys gotten the newspaper yet?"

"No, we haven't. Oh! Thanks, Yukimi," Nami said receiving the paper from the kitsune.

"No prob! So, who's the captain anyway?"

Nami looked up just in time to see Luffy walking down the spiral staircase. She and the others grinned, "Oh chore boy!"

Luffy leaned over the railing, seeing everyone at a table with lots of food without him. "Hey, it's you guys!"

"Hey, we heard that you've gotta work here for a year!" Usopp chuckled.

' _Hm? I must've missed something when I was looking at a certain someone's wanted picture_ ,' Yukimi thought.

"Can I redraw the pirate flag?" Zoro asked smugly.

"What's all this?! You guys get to stuff yourselves with all this delicious food while I'm not around?! What kind of crew are you?! That hurts! How could you do this to me?!" Luffy yelled as he walked next to Yukimi's chair, making said kitsune rub her sensitive ears with a grimace.

"Not really, it's our free will," Zoro closed his eyes enjoying himself at the rubber boy's expense.

Luffy picked his nose and flicked his booger into Zoro's glass of water while the swordsman laughed. "Take this," the rubber boy muttered.

"Oh boy! This is gonna be good!" Usopp snickered.

Zoro turned back to his irritated rubber captain, "You know, I have to say the food here is really quite delicious!" The swordsman picked up his glass of water, "Good stuff."

Nami and Usopp turned away as they tried to keep from laughing. Yukimi grinned behind her hand, trying to keep a straight face as Zoro slowly tipped the glass.

"Yes, it is. I'd feel bad for you but..." Zoro suddenly shoved the contaminated glass of water into his captain's mouth. "This glass is not drinking itself!" Zoro laughed.

Luffy sputtered and coughed as he fell to the ground, "I can't believe you did that! Nasty!"

"Yeah? Well, I can't believe you did that!" Zoro countered standing over Luffy frowning.

"So that's your captain Nami?" Yukimi asked laughing.

"Well I'm not really part of this crew, but yes, Luffy's the captain!" Nami laughed before beating the table with her hand.

Elsewhere in the dining room, Sanji straightens up from pouring a glass of wine for a beautiful lady. He looked over to the rubber brat's table, "Man, they're noisy... Are those idiots his crew? Hm?" The cook saw a young beautiful orangette beating on the table laughing and another, equally beautiful albino with fox features laughing with tears in her eyes. Sanji handed the wine bottle to the other customer without looking away from the gorgeous duo, "Here, pour it yourself."

Yukimi was wiping her tears from her cheeks when a rose appeared next to her, taking her by surprise.

"O' mother ocean! Thank you for arranging this encounter with these fine, beautiful ladies!" Sanji announced dazing at the two. Yukimi and Nami straighten up in their seats as Sanji went back and forth between them, expressing his love to them. "Go on, laugh at me. I, who can't bear torture. As long as I'm with you, it matters not if I'm a pirate or a devil..." Sanji covered his eyes before looking back at them with heart shaped eyes and blush. "My heart's ready as can be!" The cook handed them each a rose as he stood from kneeling between them. "Oh, but this is horrible!" Sanji looked up as he placed his fist to his chest. "There's such a great obstacle between us!"

"That great obstacle is me, right? Sanji."

Sanji snapped out of his lovesick daze, "Old geezer."

"This is a great opportunity for you. Why don't you just run off and become a pirate just like them?" Zeff asked as the blonde in question turned to him. "I have no use for you here."

"Hey listen, pal. I'm the sous chef in this restaurant. What do you mean you don't need me anymore?"

The old head chef leaned against an empty table across from them. "You fight with customers all the time. You flirt with every woman under 80 that walks through this place. You can't even cook a decent meal either. You're nothing more than a burden to this restaurant! That's what I mean."

"What the..." Sanji stopped as he heard snickering coming from the kitchen, seeing all the other chefs grinning at him.

"Oh and let's not forget about how the other cooks avoid you like some plague. So just run off and be a pirate or whatever. But get out of this restaurant."

"So that's how it is?" Sanji gritted his teeth. "You shoot off at the mouth and just expect me to take it, old man?" The blonde started walking towards the head chef. "I can blow off everything you just said, but I won't listen to anyone who trashes my cooking! I'm staying here as the sous chef and that's final!" Sanji grabbed Zeff's collar, "You hear me?!"

"What do you think you're doing, grabbing your boss by the collar?!" Zeff knocked off Sanji's hand before grabbing the blonde's in turn. "You stupid ingrate!"

Sanji was sent flying into the pirates' table, making everyone grab all the dishes just before the table fell over from the impact. "Dammit..." the blonde grunted as he slid to the floor. "Are you kidding?" Sanji sat up with a heated glare, "No matter how hard you may try...I'm gonna stay right here as the sous chef! 'Til the day you go to hell!"

"Dead? Hah, I got another hundred years of kicking your ass left in me!" Zeff declared as he walked away.

"Damn geezer. He's always gotta have the last word," Sanji muttered.

Luffy patted Sanji's shoulder with a big grin, "See? Isn't it great that he gave you his blessing! Now you can come with us!"

"Hell no!" Sanji then picked up the table and reset all the dishes. "My apologies," he spoke smoothly. "I hope I can make it up to you with this delightful Fruit Macedonia, my princesses." Sanji placed said dish in front of Nami and Yukimi before pouring wine for them.

"Wow! You're too kind!" Nami smile pleased. "It looks wonderful."

Yukimi grinned at the delicious looking fruit, "I love fruit! It looks so tasty!"

"Good."

"Hey! Don't go forgetting about us, Mr. Casanova!" Usopp said now standing on the other side of the navigator. "We better get an apology too!"

"This tea should be more than adequate," Sanji got in the long nosed sniper's face, holding up a cup of tea. "In fact, you should be thanking me."

"What?! You're gonna regret this!" Usopp turned to Zoro while pointing at the cook. "Take him down, Zoro!"

Zoro sweatdropped, "Why don't you do it?"

Nami held her hands together looking up to Sanji, "Stop it. Please don't fight because of me."

Sanji looked back at her with hearts for eyes again, "Of course my dear."

"Who said it was about you!" Usopp shouted.

"By the way..." Nami placed her hands in her lap, putting up a cute front.

"Yes?"

"The food here is great, but...it's a bit expensive for me," she said sweetly rubbing Sanji's chin.

"Of course I won't make _you_ pay..."

"Oh thank you!" Nami hugged Sanji making him drop his cigarette.

Sanji looked over to Zoro and Usopp. "You guys still gotta pay though."

"Whaaaa?!"

"How _very_ generous of you," Zoro sweatdropped more.

Yukimi paused eating her fruit dish, "I don't mind paying for you Nami. As thanks for inviting me to join you guys."

"No, no! I insist! It's free of charge for both of my beautiful princesses," Sanji said with his heart eyes again.

"Wait, who are you?" Luffy asked after laughing now looking at Yukimi.

"You _just_ noticed her?!" Usopp looked at his captain in shock.

Yukimi turned to the future Pirate King. "Uh hi, I'm Dew Yukimi."

"Wow, you look cool! What are you?" Luffy asked excitedly.

"Uhm, I'm a kitsune."

"Awesome! ...What's a kitsune?" Luffy asked tilting his head in confusion.

"Well, I'm pretty much a human fox," she answered.

"Really?!" Luffy started getting a gleam in his eyes.

"She's even a ninja, Luffy," Usopp commented as he sat back down.

"Woah! You gotta join my crew!" Luffy exclaimed with stars in his eyes.

"Uh..."

"C'mon you have to-"

"What are you slacking off for?" Sanji kicked Luffy, making his head bend sideways. The cook then began dragging Luffy away, "Stop bothering the beautiful lady and go give the guests towels when they come in!"

"Yes, sir..."

Yukimi blinked confused at what just happened. "What just...how was Luffy not hurt?"

"Oh, he ate some Devil Fruit called the Gum Gum Fruit. Now he's a guy made of rubber," Nami answered as she started on her Fruit Macedonia.

"A Devil Fruit user huh?" Yukimi looked down at her now empty fruit dish as she fiddled with a corner of the paper she stashed in her hoodie pocket. The albino leaned back in her seat as she closed her eyes with a growing smirk. "You know what guys, I think I might consider becoming a pirate with you."

"How come?" Usopp asked as he rested his chin in his palm.

"Well, there's a better chance of finding a certain pirate when one is part of a pirate crew," Yukimi explained grinning.

"Is this certain pirate the one from the missing wanted poster in the newspaper, Yukimi?"

The kitsune opened her red eyes and looked over to the orangette with the newspaper opened. "Huh?"

Nami turned the newspaper around, pointing to where a page in the wanted section was torn out with a knowing smirk.

"Oh."

"So who is this pirate?" Nami asked as she rolled up the newspaper. "And don't deny anything, I saw you staring at the page with a longing look."

"'Longing look'?" Yukimi repeated. "Well, I guess I could've had a look like that. I haven't seen him in eleven years."

"That's a long time," Usopp commented.

"Eleven years..." Zoro crossed his arms thinking. "How old would he be now?"

Yukimi hummed in thought. "I believe...he'll be turning 24 in a number of months."

"Oh, so is he the guy you talked about earlier that asked your age?"

Yukimi gave Usopp a mischievous look as she grinned, "Yes, yes it was him."

"Well come on, show us this guy's wanted poster," Nami grinned.

"Well," Yukimi shrugged, "it wouldn't hurt to show you, I guess." The kitsune pulled out the folded up paper before she smoothed it out on the table. "Uhm, just to give you heads up," Yukimi started as she covered the paper with her hands. "He's got a high bounty, so don't freak out."

When the albino removed her hands, Usopp let out a yelp at the sight of 87,000,000 beris. "Look at the size of this guy's bounty! It's huge!"

Yukimi's ears twitched, hearing Nami mumble about how the bounty was over twice as much as someone else's. She glanced over to her but saw Nami shaking her head before looking at the information the marines had below the picture.

"Trafalgar Law? Never heard of him," Zoro said as he leaned on the table.

"I'm not really surprised at that, Zoro. After all, Law's from the North Blue. He's pretty infamous there," the kitsune shrugged as she grinned mischievously.

"'He's called the _Surgeon of Death_. He's known to be sadistic, cruel and very cunning.'" Nami looked back up after reading the paper.

"Sounds scary." Usopp's voice cracked making the kitsune giggle at the sniper's look.

The navigator raised a brow in Yukimi's direction. "Why are you looking for a guy like him? He doesn't sound like a very friendly guy if you ask me," Nami commented with disapproval.

The kitsune chuckled at Nami's unimpressed tone, "Don't judge a book by its cover."

"Wait, North Blue? How did you get to the East Blue then?" Zoro asked raising his brow at her.

Yukimi shrugged, "There are many strange tales out there in the world and that's another story for another day." Yukimi leaned back in her seat, briefly looking up at the ceiling. "Anyhow, when I met him, he was just a kid who was training to become a doctor." Yukimi's ears lowered before continuing. "Under certain...circumstances...he's gained the power of a Devil Fruit called the Ope Ope Fruit."

"What's the Ope Ope Fruit?" the swordsman asked.

"It's uh, oh how did Cora describe it..." Yukimi muttered under her breath looking away. After a minute or so she looked back up, "The Ope Ope Fruit is a fruit that can give you the power to modify the human body." The albino gave a short laugh before continuing. "This power, adding onto his not-so happy-go-lucky attitude and medical knowledge...makes helluva since to be called the 'Surgeon of Death'."

"Sounds better than Luffy's Gum Gum Fruit," Zoro half grinned thinking of said captain's reaction would've been if he heard his comment.

"What do you mean by modify, Yukimi?" Nami asked.

The albino shrugged, "Beats me. Just shortly after Law ate the Devil Fruit, we were separated and haven't seen each other since. Separated within the day..." Yukimi sighed as she planted her elbow on the table, resting her chin in her palm with a longing look. "He was only a child at the time, so I took it upon myself to stick by his side through thick and thin. We were separated during a really bad time. I miss him. And I hope to see him again soon." Yukimi's voice grew soft, "I sometimes wonder if he's still searching for me, or thinks I'm dead or-" The kitsune stopped herself as her eyes widened at a thought. She stood up abruptly, "Excuse me!"

The group watched the kitsune quickly walk out of the Baratie. They didn't know what to say about the matter or how quickly the kitsune's attitude had changed as she talked about this man.

Nami soon stood up and walked out to find Yukimi, leaving the boys to themselves. Stepping outside, the orangette quickly spotted the albino sitting on the edge of the wooden walkway. As Nami approached Yukimi, she saw the kitsune's furry ears twitch through her hoodie earholes as she walked up to her. The navigator sat next to the ninja. "I think you forgot this, Yukimi."

Said kitsune blinked as Nami held out Law's wanted poster. "Oh, thank you Nami." Yukimi numbly took the newspaper back, feeling a little better.

Nami placed a hand on her shoulder, "Do you want to talk about it? You seem on edge from something."

Yukimi stared at Law's face as she grew tense. "It's...a sensitive topic."

"I'm all ears, Yukimi. You look like you need some girl time." Nami pulled on Yukimi's wrist and dragged her to the Going Merry, despite the kitsune's protests.

*^.^*

"Ugh... We've been sitting around, twiddling our thumbs for four days now! How long do you think we'll be here anyway?" Usopp complained turning to a lazing Zoro.

"Who knows."

"He said he'll stay a year, but I'm already so bored," the sniper whined some more.

"Why not? We've got free food, a cozy atmosphere..." Nami smiled at the calm water below them.

"I don't mind waiting around for a bit, even if it does get a tad boring." Yukimi sat on the rail in her fox form, letting her tails swish about lightly.

Zoro glared at the two. " _You're_ the only ones who get free food."

Usopp leaned over the Going Merry's rail, spotting his straw hat wearing captain carrying a big load of trash. "Hey, Luffy."

Said rubber boy looked up at the resident long nosed sniper, "Yeah?"

"What's up with you? Hurry up and get out of this mess!" Usopp complained.

"Ah, can't you guys wait just a bit longer? I'll try talking to the boss again."

"Please do!" Usopp whined as Luffy walked away.

Yukimi turned to Nami, "Thanks again for letting me stay here these past few days."

The navigator smiled, "Of course! Us gals have to stick together after all."

The fox nodded as she remembered their girl time together. The talk with the orangette helped her calm down from her near panic attack during that day. Yukimi hated bringing up her phobia to anyone she didn't know, but with Nami, it was somehow easier. Maybe it was because she needed to get it off her chest when she started recalling the last time she saw Doflamingo. Shaking her head to be rid of that grinning maniac, Yukimi relaxed as the waves rocked the ship gently, further easing her mind off of what almost caused her attack.

"Aaah! Look!"

Yukimi snapped out of her train of thought from Usopp's outcry. She looked up seeing a huge ship sailing towards the Baratie.

"Guys don't panic but I think that's our cue to leave right now-hahow!" Usopp said already starting to panic himself.

"Look at the sheer size of that galleon!" Nami stared in shock at the approaching ship.

"Eh heh heh heh...size right...I feel like an ant..." Yukimi's ears lowered as she watched the large ship anchor next to the smaller fish themed restaurant.

The ship was so damaged, it looked like it went through a hurricane or something of the like. It was barely staying afloat as it was. Undeniably a hazard to stand upon or even being near it. The group on the Going Merry watched a large man who had to be Don Krieg, heavily supported by the pirate from the other day, slowly walk into the floating restaurant.

"Was that really Don Krieg?" Yukimi asked feeling the thick tension in the air.

Zoro stood next to the white fox, "Yeah, he looks like his wanted posters. But he looks weakened."

"To be supported by that guy," Nami observed.

"He's still _Don Krieg_ guys!" Usopp started searching for Luffy. "Where's Luffy?! We gotta get outta here!"

The kitsune's ears twitched hearing a woman scream from inside before all the customers came running and screaming out of the restaurant. "What...?"

"Hey, see that? It looks bad. What do you think is going on in there?" Usopp started to shake nervously.

"Donno, let's go check it out and see."

"What?!" Usopp turned to the swordsman shocked. "Are you serious?!"

"Sure am. You sound kinda scared," Zoro smirked at the sniper.

"I am not scared!" the long nosed sniper defended.

Yukimi switched forms as she walked up next to Usopp, making him jump from her sudden transformation. "Yeah let's see what's up. Nothing ventured nothing gained, I always say."

Zoro's smirk widened into a grin at her words. The swordsman looked up at the huge galleon, "So strange. The ship looks abandoned."

Yukimi crossed her arms. "Want me to take a lil' peek?"

"Are you sure, Yukimi?" Nami asked turning to her.

"Sure I'm sure. I'm a shinobi, remember? I'll be back in a flash." The small group watched in amazement as the kitsune jumped off the ship. Their jaws dangled open as Yukimi ran across the ocean's surface as if it were only a puddle on dry land.

Yukimi leaped onto the side of the damaged ship. She kept the chakra fused on the bottom of her boots as she ran up the side of the ruined ship. Once on the torn and unstable deck, the kitsune scanned the area for pirates. Not finding any so far, she walked further on. Yukimi moved her ears back and forth, left and right, listening for anything. After jumping over a large hole in the deck and turning a corner, Yukimi stopped dead in her tracks. Before her, were starving and most likely dead pirates everywhere. Many leaned against each other and empty barrels but mostly laid sprawled out on the deck. "What...happened here?"

Yukimi jumped in her skin when a nearly dead man weakly grabbed her ankle. "...Food...water...please..." Yukimi watched him pass out, letting her go. The albino took a step back from the possibly now dead man. "What a...tragic mess." Yukimi quickly returned to the rail she climbed over before. "There are starving and dead pirates everywhere guys!"

"Seriously?!" Usopp squeaked.

Just as Yukimi jumped back down to the ocean's surface, she looked over to the Baratie. "...Gunfire."

"C'mon Yukimi!"

Said albino looked over to Zoro as he dragged a terrified Usopp to where a back door was. "So I take it that Nami's watching the ship with Johnny and Yosaku?" Yukimi asked when she caught up to the guys.

"Yeah. Yukimi, how did you do that?" Zoro raised a brow at her as he prevented the poor sniper from running back to the Going Merry as he opened the back door.

"Chakra, I infused it on the bottom of my boots and it allows me to walk on water and up vertical objects," she explained patting the wall next to her.

"Huh cool."

Yukimi closed the door behind them before they headed up to the second floor. "I heard gunshots earlier, did you?"

"Yeah we did," he replied in a low tone.

The kitsune nodded as the swordsman finally let go of the shaking sniper.

"D-Do we have to be here?" Usopp stuttered nervously.

"Course we do, gotta help out right?" Yukimi grinned, "Plus, it could be fun."

Zoro chuckled, "You said it." The swordsman then started the quiet descent down the spiral stairs until they could see the commotion they've been hearing since they set foot inside.

"What happened out there... Unfortunately, I don't find your smartass remarks very amusing. If you insist on this foolish behavior, I'll crush you right here and right now," said a man's voice on the first floor.

Luffy grinned as he pulled back his arm, "Go ahead if you think you can."

"I can and I will. It would be my pleasure to send you to an early grave, you cocky little runt!" Don Krieg's shoulder guards noisily opened up revealing guns, ready to open fire. There was a moment of silence as everyone stood stock still in anticipation. Waiting for the large pirate to shoot the chore boy.

Yukimi's ears twitched as Zoro's sword slid open an inch. "What's going on Luffy, need a hand?"

Usopp stroke a "brave" pose with his chin up. "If you don't need help, that's okay too."

Yukimi giggled at the sniper as his knees shook. She hopped onto the railing and squatted with a kunai in hand with a grin. "I wouldn't mind getting in on the fun. That is to say," the kitsune flipped her weapon to where it pointed down, "if there's a fight."

Luffy looked over his shoulder at his crew, "Oh hey guys. I appreciate the offer, but I think I can handle this clown."

"Oh well, if you say so." Usopp's knees kept shaking like dead leaves in a cold winter gale as he continued. "Buuut if you say you don't need any help, who am I to argue? Us awesome fighters are just gonna sit this one out. Holler if you need us-thwa!"

Yukimi laughed as Zoro tripped Usopp off his pathetic pedestal.

"What did you do that for, Zoro?!" Usopp rubbed his sore head as he yelled at the swordsman.

"Shut up already you weirdo!"

Don Krieg burst into a small laughing fit. "Are those guys and that weird looking dog your crew?"

Yukimi flinched at that. Her ears disappeared into her white hair as she bared her canines almost snarling at the insult. "Who're you calling a dog?! I'm a kitsune, ya piece of shit!"

Don Krieg still laughed at her response before turning his attention back on Luffy. "That's a pretty small group you got there kid!"

"Nuh-uh, that's not all. I have two more!" Luffy pouted holding up two fingers.

"I'm _not_ a part of your crew!" Sanji yelled irritated at the straw hat wearing boy.

There was a minute pause before Krieg closed his shoulder guards. "I'll take care of you guys later. Right now, I need to feed my men." The large man slung a large bag of food over his shoulder. "For those who don't wish to die, you'd better not be here when I return. The only things I want are the logbook and this ship." Don Krieg started for the door but paused at it, "However, if you really want to throw away your lives, I'll have to go out of my way, but I'll be happy to send you to the bottom of the ocean! Keep that in mind."

Yukimi narrowed her eyes as Don Krieg left the restaurant. The albino let out a sigh as she got off the rail, put away her kunai and sat down on the steps.

"I'm so sorry, Sanji. I never thought it would be this way..." Gin apologized with his head lowered as he gripped his shoulder.

"You have nothing to apologize for, sailor."

Patty's jaw dropped at Zeff's words, "Huh?!"

"Every cook at this restaurant did what they thought was right. That's all there is to say about it," Zeff said as Gin stared at him in surprise.

"But Boss! Why are you siding with Sanji? What's going here?!" Patty gripped his giant fork in anger.

"Yeah! This is all his fault!" another cook said behind Patty.

"He's going to destroy your precious restaurant!" a different cook further away said.

"Shut the hell up, you stupid ingrates! Have you ever had to experience starving to death? Can you imagine how horrible it is? Having no food and water in this vast ocean?" Zeff asked his cooks knowingly.

"What? I don't know what you're talking about, Chef Zeff," Patty said lowering his weapon.

The head chef looked around his cooks, "A difference between all of you and Sanji is that Sanji knows."

"What does he mean?"

"Sanji knows what?"

"Rather than just standing idle with petty talk, you'd all better leave this place now!" Zeff raised his hand over his head indicating for everyone to leave.

Every cook stared at the head chef as his words sunk in. It was a logical choice. To leave the floating restaurant was to live. To stay, was to die. But nobody moved an inch.

"I'm staying right here to fight! I can't simply let them trample over me!" Patty slammed the butt of his large fork against the floor for emphasis.

"Me too! This is where I work!" another chef said raising his weapon.

"I have no other place to work anyway!"

Yukimi grinned as all the chefs stood back up, ready to kick ass and face death.

Gin stared in shock as all the cooks stood ready to fight. He shook his head before slamming his hands on the floor, "What are you doing?! Don't you see how strong our leader is?"

"Hey Gin." Sanji stood up and began walking to a table on its side. "Feeding the hungry is what a cook is all about. However..." the blonde placed his foot on the table's leg before pressing down, making the whole furniture stand up again. "Now that your captain's all filled up, he's nothing more than a plunderer. Whatever I do to your pals, don't come bitchin' to me. I'll kill anybody who tries to take this restaurant! Even you!" Sanji gave the pirate a deadly glare when he finished. "Got it?"

Gin gulped in response.

"Heh! You're a real headcase Sanji. Letting him live then threatening to kill him?" Patty questioned the blonde's sanity.

"Can it, you fatass cook." Sanji glared at Patty as he placed his cigarette back in his mouth.

Luffy looked back up to where his crew was with a big smile, "See? This guy's awesome!"

"Who cares how awesome he is?! We gotta get out of here right now!" Usopp said gripping onto the stairs' railing.

"Take it easy there Luffy. He _is_ Don Krieg, but he's in pretty bad shape," Zoro warned Luffy.

"Hmm..." Luffy turned toward the pirate still kneeling at the entrance. "Hey Gin. You said once before that you knew nothing about the Grand Line, right? But you _have_ been there, haven't you?"

Gin looked at his hands as he recalled the traumatic experience. "The truth is I don't know anything. What happened at the Grand Line on the seventh day... Was it a dream...? Or reality...? It's still so fresh in my mind... It was unbelievable... Just one man..." Gin started to sweat as he placed a hand on the side of his face. "Destroyed a whole fleet of fifty ships!"

Everyone in the room gasped in shock.

"It all happened so suddenly. He showed up out of nowhere and started sinking our ships, one after the other. If a storm hadn't come along, our maiden ship would've been destroyed too. I have no idea how many of my mate's ships survived. But it was too scary for me to accept it all. I don't even want to think about what had happened! That man... His stare pierces through you, like the eyes of a hawk!"

Yukimi heard a gasp next to her. The kitsune looked at Zoro as he trembled at the description.

"Well then, that can only be the one known as Hawkeye," Zeff said crossing his arms.

Gin looked up confused, "What?"

"The fact you noticed his eyes, leads to me to believe it was him. It all sounds like something he would do."

Zoro's eyes were wide as his knuckles turned pale from gripping the rail so hard, "Hawkeye Mihawk!"

Luffy looked up at the swordsman, "Hm? You know the guy, Zoro?"

Zoro let go of the railing as he smoothed out his breathing. "That's the man I've been looking for. I've sailed across the ocean to find him."

"Maybe he had some kind of grudge to settle against you guys?" Sanji speculated.

"Not that I know of!"

"Perhaps you disturbed his nap," Zeff offered.

"Stop the bullshit! Why in the world would he destroy our fleet for something that trivial?!" Gin shouted.

Zeff chuckled, "Don't get so worked up. I'm just making assumptions. Stuff like that happens on the Grand Line."

"Just what kind of place is that?" Usopp asked making Yukimi glance at him.

"The kind of place anything can happen," Zoro forewarned.

"And where your worst nightmares come true~," Yukimi added for kicks, loving the pitiful sniper's reactions.

Usopp whimpered at their words. "Hey, Luffy! Stop this right now! We can't go there!" the sniper yelled scared for his life.

Luffy's shoulders started to shake, ignoring Usopp's pleas. "Gah! I'm so pumped up!" he shouted excitedly. "I was hoping the Grand Line would have all this! This is gonna be a blast!"

"Do you even understand the concept of danger?!" Usopp yelled angrily.

"But with all this talk, now my destination will really be on the Grand Line." Zoro leaned back against the wall, eyes closed. "That man...I can definitely meet him there!" the swordsman said opening his eyes with excitement.

"Are you morons? You must be those who are eager to die," Sanji commented looking away from the three on the staircase.

"You're right. But it's none of your business," Zoro replied making the sous chef look back up to him. "When I decided to become the greatest swordsman in the world, I threw away the rest of my life. I'm the only one who can say that I'm an idiot."

"Ooh me too! Me too!" Luffy laughed raising his hand.

"As the man of the sea, same here!" Usopp said with a stupid grin.

"Shut up, stupid," Zoro rebuffed as he poked the sniper in the head with the end of one of his scabbards.

Yukimi giggled at Zoro's reaction to Usopp, finding it very amusing. "I've only met you guys a few days ago, so I have no comment here."

Sanji turned away again, "What idiots."

"Sanji, you wouldn't have included _me_ in being an idiot by any chance, have you?" Yukimi asked leaning against the rail with a raised brow.

"Of course not my beautiful sweet!" Sanji exclaimed with a smile and heart eyes.

Zoro rolled his eyes at the kitsune annoyed.

"Enough! Do any of you maggots understand the current situation? That enormous galleon moored in front of our dear little restaurant is none other than Don Krieg's flagship. So why don't we check back into reality and deal with this!" Patty jabbed his huge fork towards them.

Yukimi stood up straight as a large roar from outside resounded into the small restaurant. "It's Don Krieg's crew..."

"Hear that?! They're gonna be here soon!"

"The restaurant's ours! And I'll fight to the death to keep it that way!"

Suddenly there was a slashing sound in the air. Fox ears twitched at it as the kitsune leaned over the rail, trying to see what was happening. All she could tell was that something was cut, and it was a powerful cut. Then the fish themed restaurant started swaying roughly through the waves as Krieg's flagship was breaking apart in the water just outside. Yukimi leaned too far forward and was flipped over the rail from the sudden movements in the water. She let out a startled yelp before landing in someone's arms.

"Gotcha!" Sanji tightened his grip around Yukimi as the restaurant leaned too far to one side again. Resulting in the blonde falling down on his rear with the kitsune in his lap.

Yukimi sat up as best she could under the circumstance, "Are you okay Sanji?!"

"What matters is, are you okay?!" the blonde asked her as he tried staying in one place with the kitsune in his grasp.

"Raise the anchor! Or we'll be dragged down with them!" Zeff ordered one of the cooks.

"Y-Yes, sir!"

"Wait! Nami and the guys are still out there on the ship!" Zoro leaped over the rail and followed behind Luffy out the entrance.

Usopp bumped his head on the rail before running after them, "Wait! I hope it's not too late!"

After being helped up by Sanji, Yukimi ran through the open doors where she nearly collided with Luffy as he and the other chefs stared at the wreckage in front of them.

"Hey! Big bro!"

Luffy, Zoro, Usopp, and Yukimi ran over to the rail where Zoro's friends were swimming towards them. "Yosaku! Johnny! Are you guys ok?" Luffy asked as the two came closer.

"Where's the ship? Where's Nami? Is she okay?!" Zoro interrogated his friends.

"She's... I'm sorry big bro! She's left!" Johnny replied.

"Big sis Nami... She...she took off with all the treasure!" Yosaku said in turn.

"W-What did you just say?!" Everyone shouted in mixed emotions.

"Hm? That man is..." Zeff murmured under his breath as he gazed out to Don Krieg's shredded ship, noticing someone new.

*^.^*


	7. Hawkeye Mihawk

**~WHAT'S UP GUYS! Holy Jesus Christ that was fucking amazing! If you're wondering as to why I sound hyped, well I just got back from watching One Piece Stampede! _And it was fucking epic~~~!_ And yes, I watched it in dub and I'm chomping at the bit for more! I won't say anything for spoilers, but I gotta say, Johnny Young Bosch can do no wrong! He was great at voicing Sabo. Aaaah...~ I can't wait for the dub to get its ass back into gear. I'm just so excited that Funimation had made the _LONG_ awaited announcement to its return. Starting with PUNK HAZARD! Wait for me Doc~ I miss your voice Matthew Christopher Miller~ WHOO! Don't mind me guys, go and enjoy the chapter while I fawn over Law elsewhere. Oh, and one more thing, if you don't review, Law will steal y'all's hearts~ **

_**Long Term Hearts**_

 _ **Chapter 7: Hawkeye Mihawk**_

 ************^.^************

After pulling Yosaku and Johnny from the water, the boys pushed into each other to get into the drenched faces of the bounty hunters. Usopp pushed through first, "Is it true?!"

"For real? Did Nami sail off with the Going Merry?" Luffy was then pushed out of the way by Zoro.

"I need a straight answer. Now, what happened?"

"Well...it all happened so suddenly," Yosaku then recounted how Nami had deceived them, basically marooned them there and stole the Going Merry.

"So that's the story of how big sis Nami took the ship," Johnny finished as he and Yosaku bowed on the deck in shame. "We're really sorry."

Zoro punched the Baratie's outside wall pissed. "Dammit! She just _had_ to make a bad situation worse!"

"That heartless thief! Kaya gave _us_ that ship!" Usopp shook his fists in anger.

"Wait! I can see the ship!" Luffy had his hands next to his eyes, shielding them from the sun as he stood on the rail. "It's the Going Merry!" The straw hat wearing boy looked over his shoulder at them. "Tell me where your boat is."

"We still have it, but..."

The rubber boy fully faced them now, "Zoro, Usopp, Yukimi, don't just stand there, go get Nami!"

"Nevermind that. Just let it go," Zoro waved him off. "She's more trouble than she's worth."

"She's the only person I'll accept as the navigator," Luffy said stubbornly.

Yukimi stuffed her hands into her hoodie pocket. She couldn't believe Nami would do something like this. ' _But then again, I've only known her and the others for only a few days_.' She hadn't gotten attached to the ship yet but, she had left her wanted poster of Law in there. Of course, she could always get a new one from the following day's newspaper but also wanted to do what her new captain asked.

Zoro sighed as he facepalmed after their silent staring contest. "Fine, we'll do it. You're one high maintenance captain, you know that? Alright Usopp, Yukimi, let's go."

"Oh, okay."

"'Kay."

The two bounty hunters quickly went and came back with their boat, lowering the anchor just in front of them. "The ship is ready for action, big bro Zoro," they saluted.

Zoro turned to Luffy, "Hey, what about you?"

"I should probably stick around here to settle things with the restaurant, know what I mean?" Luffy said jabbing his thumb over his shoulder.

"Well be careful. The situation here can get really bad really fast," Zoro warned.

"Yeah, got that right," Luffy nodded.

"Don Krieg! The man who destroyed our fleet is back! What are we gonna do?!"

Everyone looked up at the pirate's voice, noticing a small ship with a man slowly sail through the new ship graveyard. Zoro froze up, "That's...That's him..." He gulped from the man's presence. "That man is..."

Luffy looked around curiously, "Hey, who's that?"

"That's the man I've been looking for, Hawkeye Mihawk."

Luffy lowered his head until the brim of his hat shaded his eyes, "So that's, Mihawk."

"Yeah, the greatest swordsman."

Yukimi stepped closer to the rail to get a better look. The kitsune narrowed her red eyes when she spotted the huge black sword on the man's back. "That's one big sword," she murmured. Her eyes shifted to Zoro as he adjusted his Wado Ichimonji with a tense grin.

Before anyone could say anything, Zoro ran off. Leaping from large floating pieces of the wrecked galleon to the next until he stood on the one where a small group of men were. One of them tried shooting at Mihawk, only for the renowned swordsman to deflect the bullets away by his black blade.

"What?! I missed?! But I aimed straight for him!"

"He diverted them." The pirate turned around in shock now seeing Zoro behind him. "He changed the course of the bullets by the tip of his sword," Zoro explained as the sword's master put away his weapon.

"That can't be... Wait! Who do you think you are?" the pirate demanded as Zoro walked past him.

Another pirate looked at the swordsman's swords, the man's eyes widened at the sight of three swords strapped to Zoro's hip, "He's got three swords. He couldn't be..."

"I've never seen a sword handled so gently or with such grace," Zoro complimented.

Mihawk glanced his way, "There's no strength based in swordplay with force."

"Did you also use that sword to slice up this ship?"

"I did," the sword's master answered calmly.

"Then it's true, you're the best!" This time he didn't get a response. "I've set sail for one reason, to meet you," Zoro started to put his bandana on.

"And what is your goal?"

"To beat you!" Zoro stated with a growing grin.

"Heh, how foolish," Mihawk grinned back with a scoff.

Zoro took out Ichimonji, "You've got spare time, so let's do this!"

"Woah! It's him! It's Roronoa Zoro! It's Zoro the Three Sword Style!" the pirate who shot his guns earlier exclaimed.

"It is?!" another pirate whimpered.

"Hey, Luffy c'mon! We better hurry because the Going Merry is almost out of sight! Hey, Luffy!" Usopp turned away from their ship as he tried to get Luffy's attention.

Said rubber boy and Yukimi stayed where they were, not moving an inch. Yukimi trained her eyes on the swordsmen across the water.

"A fight? You're a weak, pitiful creature." Mihawk leaped onto the floating ship piece where Zoro was. He crossed his arms before continuing. "If you are in fact a confident swordsman, you should've been able to judge the difference in strengths without drawing your sword. I must ask you, _why_ you challenged me? Could it be your courage? Or could it be simply your ignorance?"

"It's my ambition that drives me." Zoro placed Ichimonji between his teeth before drawing his other two swords. "And a promise to my fallen friend," he answered further as his scabbards clattered to the decking.

"No one can beat big bro! He's already the best in the world!" Yosaku shouted while Johnny grinned.

Not even bothering to make a reply to what the bounty hunters had indicated, Mihawk took off his cross necklace and detached the bottom revealing a small knife.

Zoro's eyes widened at the man's actions before narrowing them in irritation. "Funny, what do you think you're gonna do with _that?_ "

Mihawk raised the knife a little higher to show it more. "It will be more than adequate. After all, you wouldn't kill a fly with a cannonball, would you? You may have a reputation here in the East Blue, but that doesn't mean much to me. This sea is by far the _weakest_ of the four." Mihawk made a mock sorrowful frown, "Unfortunately, I don't carry any blade smaller than this."

"I had just about enough of your attitude!" Zoro clenched Ichimonji harder between his teeth before he lunged at Mihawk. "Now you die!"

"You have _no_ idea how big the world really is!"

"Oni Giri!"

Everyone's eyes widened in shock when the three swords were so easily stopped by the small knife. Yukimi's lips were in a firm line as she could clearly see Zoro shocked.

"What?! Big bro's demon technique was stopped!" Johnny shouted in shock.

"But, that has always worked 100% of the time! What in the world happened?!" Yosaku responded just as shocked.

Zoro jumped back and lunged again, "I am not that far behind the world's strongest!"

"It's...like a frenzy rather than a fight. And by no means this is a _fair_ fight between the amount of experience between them," Yukimi observed under her breath.

Zoro was pushed back enough to fall. He quickly got back up and restarted the unmatched duel. Mihawk jumped onto a rail before leaping up and over Zoro as said swordsman slashed the wooden rail clean through. Zoro faced the Warlord again and continued the deadly sword dance.

"Such ferocious swordplay," Mihawk commented as they locked blades again.

This prompted a battle cry from the younger swordsman, resulting in Zoro swinging Ichimonji to strike, only to be blocked once more. The force of the blocked blade made a small whirlwind at their feet, making their clothes flutter from the wind.

Yukimi stiffened when she noticed her new friend falter and was struck at the base of his neck, collapsing a few feet from Mihawk.

As Zoro slowly stood back up, everyone could tell he was exhausted, especially when he struggled just to walk. He rose one of his swords to strike, only to trip as Mihawk sidestepped him.

"What is it then?" Mihawk asked in a calm tone as he observed Zoro like he was a child. "What weight do you carry upon your shoulders? Speak up, weakling!"

"How dare you call him a weakling! You'll pay for that!" Yosaku shouted.

"We'll teach you a lesson!" Johnny shouted as he and Yosaku jumped off their ship with their swords brandished.

"No! Yosaku! Johnny! Get back here!" Luffy grabbed the bounty hunters' collars and pulled them back onto the ship. "Just stay put!"

"Luffy..." Usopp looked in slight awe at the rubber boy as said pirate forced the bounty hunter duo down. The sniper then looked over to his right. Yukimi was ringing the hem of her hoodie in one hand while clenching a kunai tightly in the other.

Zoro stood back up with a glare, "No, I won't lose! I refuse to be defeated!" The swordsman raised his swords over and behind his blade in his jaws as the sun grew bright and everything became silent to his ears but the beating of his own heart. "Tora Gari!" Suddenly it was like the world became black and white. There was nothing to be heard but of skin and muscles being pierced through by nothing but a small knife. Zoro's arms slowly lowered from their frozen descent as he hunched over slightly as blood dripped seemingly loudly onto the decking at their feet.

Mihawk had thrust his knife into the younger swordsman, just shy of impaling his heart. "You are defeated, yet you won't step back. Why not? Do you wish to have this go through your heart?"

"I don't know," Zoro answered as blood slid between his teeth and down his throat, staining his shirt and haramaki. "But I will _not_ run. Even if I retreat a single step. I will be shattering the promises I've made. I can't run. I would lose my honor. You see, without that there will be nothing left for me here."

"That's what defeat is."

Zoro chuckled as more blood flowed down his nose, mouth, and front. "Then I won't accept defeat."

"Then you'll die."

"I rather die than give up!"

There was a pause between the two swordsmen before Zoro grunted from Mihawk pulling out his knife and putting it away. "Sir, state your name."

Zoro held out his swords forming a triangle at the handles. "I am Roronoa Zoro."

"I'll remember it. No one as strong as you has come in quite some time." Mihawk drew out his large black sword. "So as a swordsman curtsy, I'll use the world's strongest black sword to finish you."

"Thank you, I appreciate your offer."

Yukimi tensed up further, eyeing the two swordsmen's standoff. "This doesn't look good!"

"Enough big bro! Stop it please!"

"Three Sword Style Secret Technique..." Zoro started spinning his swords clock and counterclockwise. Mihawk lunged forth, swinging his black blade. "Three Thousand Worlds!" Zoro swung his swords just as the master swordsman was right on top of him.

Everything happened in a split second. One moment the two swordsmen stood still with their respective swords in the air at the end of their swing. The next, two blades cracked and broke apart, clattering to the floating piece of decking loudly as blood spewed from Zoro's chest. Said swordsman nearly collapsed but supported himself with his hands still clutching the handles to his broken swords. Zoro let them go and took Ichimonji out of his mouth before slowly sheathing the faithful weapon. Zoro stood up, faced Mihawk and spread his arms out, exposing his chest.

"But why?" Mihawk questioned in astonishment.

"Scars on the back are a swordsman's shame!" Zoro replied with a bloody grin.

"Well said," Mihawk grinned back before slashing Zoro's front, spilling more blood.

Yukimi stood stock still as she heard everyone on the ship screaming the young swordsman's name. She flinched as water splashed into her face from Yosaku and Johnny jumping into the water. The kitsune looked up in time to see Luffy crash into the side of the floating decking where the Warlord stood on. Yukimi growled as her ears pinned back through her raised hood. Before Usopp could stop her, she leaped over the rail and dashed across the ocean's surface, making anyone watching her gawk.

"You damn bastard!" Yukimi held up the kunai she's been holding and threw it at the man. Mihawk easily deflected the kunai before looking over to the kitsune. His eyes widened in the slightest in surprise seeing someone actually on top of the ocean's surface and _not_ fall into the water. The Warlord faced the kitsune as she took out another kunai and stopped near where Yosaku and Johnny dove under where Zoro fell through the waves.

"There's no need to be hostile, child," Mihawk commented as he put away his sword.

"Ch-child?!" Yukimi gritted her teeth furiously. "Don't judge a book by its cover. I'm far older than I look!"

The Warlord watched as the strange looking girl raised her weapon ready to throw it. Mihawk looked over his shoulder where Luffy was struggling to free his head from the broken decking, making his neck stretch in doing so. "Are you that young warrior's comrade? I'm impressed you didn't interfere with our duel." He glanced back at Yukimi noticing her lower her kunai cautiously. The sound of boards breaking, a thud and a grunt behind him told Mihawk the rubber boy was finally free. "There's nothing to be upset about. Your friend will live."

Yukimi gasped when Yosaku and Johnny burst through the water next to her with Zoro in tow. "Zoro!"

"Big bro say something, please!" Yosaku pleaded as Johnny slightly shook the swordsman's shoulder, earning a bloody cough.

Yukimi quickly put away her kunai before kneeling next to Johnny, "Let me help him out of the water or he'll bleed out faster!" This quickly prompted them to hand Zoro over to her. The kitsune grunted as she draped his arm over her neck, placed her hand on his waist and made him lean onto her. Yukimi staggered under the new weight, rapidly realizing this was going to be harder than she thought. After all, they weren't on land where Zoro's feet would have something solid under them, but on water, in the middle of the ocean no less.

Luffy watched worriedly as Yosaku and Johnny supported Zoro's weight by pushing his feet out of the water to lessen the burden on the kitsune while she walked over to where Usopp was.

"Come on, we gotta get him on the ship!" Usopp said leaning over the side. After dragging Zoro onto the small ship, the sniper quickly brought some medical supplies over to them as the bounty hunter duo and kitsune knelt around the injured swordsman. "I've got some medicine, here!" As they started to help Zoro, they could hear Mihawk speaking up.

"It's still far too early to die. My name is Dracule Mihawk! You're strong but there's still much for you to learn. No matter how many years it takes I will hold the title as the greatest in the world and wait for you. Until that day, you must hone your skills. _Then_ seek me out, Roronoa Zoro!"

Zoro's eyes twitched from the Warlord shouting his declaration out to him. Johnny and Yosaku sat on either side of him, noticing the slight movement. "Big bro please say something, anything!"

Mihawk looked back at Luffy with his arms crossed, "You, what is your goal?"

"To be the king."

The Warlord grinned in amusement, "Your ambitions are even loftier than your friend's. That's quite a task."

"Yeah well, you just let me worry about that," Luffy then stuck his tongue out at the Warlord immaturely.

"He's alive!"

Luffy looked back at the ship holding his friends, feeling relief flood through him.

"He was only unconscious," Usopp sighed as he held a medicine bottle away from Zoro. Yukimi felt a tight pull on her lips as she looked over the damage done to the young swordsman as she continued her medical ninjutsu.

"Big bro..." Yosaku's voice shook as he cried.

"Please say something!" Johnny pleaded.

Zoro took hold of his only sword left, Ichimonji, before raising it in the air, making Yukimi remind him not to move so much. "Luffy...can you hear me...?"

"Yeah!"

"I'm sorry for disappointing you... I know you need nothing less than the greatest swordsman in the world. I've let you down… Please forgive me!" Zoro coughed up blood making everyone on board panic.

"Okay okay! You can stop saying things now!"

"Big bro!"

"Take it easy Zoro, you're not in the best of conditions if you haven't noticed," Yukimi muttered under her breath as she hovered her hands over his abdomen.

Zoro placed his hand on his forehead as tears poured from his eyes as he continued. "I solemnly swear...from this moment forward...that I will never lose again..." Zoro's breath hitched. "Until the day I defeat him...and take his title...I will never, _never_ be defeated. Is that okay? King of the Pirates?!"

Luffy grinned happily as he chuckled, "Yup!"

"You're a good team." Mihawk turned to leave, "I hope to see you again someday."

Yukimi spared a glance at the Warlord then directed her attention back on the bleeding swordsman in front of her. "Johnny hand me the bandages please," the kitsune said as she finished closing the wounds.

"H-here," the bounty hunter handed the bandages to the kitsune next to him.

Just as Yukimi pulled up Zoro's shirt to start bandaging him, there was a sudden explosion making the small ship rock. The kitsune almost fell onto the injured swordsman but caught herself in time. She looked up to see a large cloud of smoke coming from where Luffy and Mihawk were. As the smoke cleared, neither were there anymore. Off to the side beyond the wrecked decking, she could make out Mihawk leaving in his coffin like ship. While out of the corner of her eye back at the Baratie, Yukimi saw Luffy land on the side rail, surprising the chefs there. "What is that idiotic bastard think he's doing?! Doesn't he realize that the man he tried to blow holes into is a freaking Warlord?!" Yukimi hissed as she saw Don Krieg standing among the smoke with a bunch of smoking guns.

Zoro tried to get up to see what had happened but flinched from the immense pain from his injury, "What..what happened?"

Yukimi smirked back at him as she started dressing his wounds, "Aw, you worried you lost your chance to defeat the greatest swordsman in the world? Pfft, as if. Donny over there just had a pissy fit about wanting to kill Mihawk for what he did to them on the Grand Line. Don't you worry your green hair gray, Zoro." The kitsune chuckled at said swordsman's unamused expression.

"Come on we gotta catch up to the Going Merry," Usopp announced after he got the "go ahead" from Luffy.

Johnny and Yosaku quickly got to work navigating the small ship and within moments they were on their way escaping from the fight that was about to erupt.

"So, where do you think Nami's heading to anyway?" Yukimi asked the two bounty hunters as she started on a new roll of bandages, leaving behind the escalating battle.

"Well let's take a look," Johnny said taking out a map of the surrounding area.

Yosaku looked over his buddy's shoulder. "We're here," he pointed to where the Baratie was supposed to be near the Calm Belt. He looked up toward the direction Nami had sailed, then at the sun's position in the sky before looking back down at the map. "It looks like she's heading to..."

"...Arlong Park," Johnny slowly finished as he and Yosaku looked at each other nervously.

"Why do you guys look like something really bad is there?" Usopp asked with a shaky voice growing a bit scared with how ominously they sounded.

"Arlong sounds familiar," Yukimi commented as she finished up on making Zoro a half mummy.

"That's because Arlong has a bounty of 20,000,000 beris," Zoro added as he sat up stiffly.

Yukimi snapped her fingers, "Oh isn't he that fishman that's been terrorizing this area for a while?"

"How can you sound so calm Yukimi? This guy sounds more powerful than Don Krieg!" Usopp whimpered as he felt his knees shake from the thought of going up against someone who's strength is far superior to humans.

"How can I sound so calm?" The kitsune repeated with a flat look. A certain evil grin and maniacal laughter flashed through her mind's eye, making a visible shiver run over the albino as she clenched her eyes shut. "Because I've faced a despicable man who's twenty times scarier than this small fry will ever be," Yukimi murmured as she reopened her glaring red eyes. "A man I hope to _never_ have to see again so long as I live. And kitsunes live for centuries, so that's saying a lot."

Silence fell over the small ship as they let this new foreboding information sink in. Everyone didn't know what to say or even how to respond to what Yukimi had said. Though it was obvious that they weren't going to face whoever this man was, they were still heading toward a potentially suicidal area.

Finally, Zoro spoke up, "I assume this man you speak of isn't that friend you're looking for?"

"Law? Heh, hell no," Yukimi answered before hopping up from where she was sitting. "Now let's get this show on the road and get Nami back for our captain!" Yukimi said pumping her fist into the air. Nobody said anything, but it was obvious that the kitsune was trying to avoid the topic of whoever this man was by putting the retrieval of Nami and the Going Merry back in the forefront of everyone's mind.

Yosaku leaned against the rail to catch his breath and try to calm himself down when a large wave rocked the flimsy little ship and Yosaku felt water on his back. It wasn't until he was submerged that he realized he fell over the edge.

Johnny looked up when he heard a splash, quickly noticing his partner had fallen overboard, "Yosaku!" He ran to the rail just as said bounty hunter broke through the surface coughing.

Usopp tossed over a rope for Yosaku to grab, "Hurry, we're going to lose the Going Merry!"

Yukimi looked in the direction said ship sailed in only seeing a speck on the horizon. The kitsune went over to the side of the small flimsy ship ready to help out. "Huh?" Behind Yosaku a few yards back was a large black dorsal fin coming straight at him. Red eyes widened with realization. "Yosaku look out!"

"Wha-aaaahh!" Yosaku looked over his shoulder in time for a large panshark to leap out of the water and dive back in right on top of him. Fish and man went under for a few moments before the panshark resurfaced with Yosaku in its mouth. The shark shook the bounty hunter a bit much to everyone's fear, only for it to stop when Yosaku started punching it in the snout. This caused it to dive back under again before swimming off with him.

"Yosaku!" Johnny shouted, about to dive overboard after them.

Yukimi quickly grabbed the man's hood, preventing him from jumping. "Wait! Look!" The kitsune yelled over his struggling. She pointed in the direction the panshark was swimming off to, black dorsal fin showing. "It's going back towards the Baratie. Yosaku's going to be fine Johnny," Yukimi said letting go of the bounty hunter's clothing.

"How do you know?!"

"Well for one thing," Yukimi started with crossing her arms over her chest, "pansharks don't have sharp teeth like other sharks. So it's not going to eat Yosaku. And if it spits him out near the restaurant he'll just have to swim over to it and be back with Luffy. He's gonna be okay. 'sides, don't you have trust in Yosaku taking care of himself?"

Johnny didn't say anything but gave a small nod.

"Uh guys, I don't see the ship anymore," Zoro spoke up standing at the front of the small ship.

Everyone's attention pulled back to the front of the ship, now not able to see the Going Merry. But now on the horizon, there was an outline of a landmass.

*^.^*

"W-well we're finally here... That's Arlong Park!" Johnny gripped the edge of their ship tightly as they drew ever nearer.

Zoro sat up looking over his shoulder watching the so called feared pirate lair of Arlong draws closer.

Usopp peeked over the rail shakily, "Arlong Park huh? So this is the hideout of the infamous fishman Arlong from the Grand Line?" The nervous sniper gulped loudly.

Yukimi sat relaxed next to the shaky sniper with her arms crossed over her chest. She gazed at the flag waving in the ever shifting wind tied to a big saw shark head figure. "Wonder how many fishmen are here," the kitsune commented looking around the area for any sign of activity.

"I-I rather not find out," Usopp muttered ducking back down.

Johnny turned toward Usopp and Yukimi with a cautioned look, "Big sis Nami's ship was the Going Merry. Before we do anything stupid, we should quietly check to make sure it stopped at this island first."

"Yeah good idea," Usopp nodded stiffly.

Zoro stood up with his remaining katana at the ready, "Let's attack them."

Yukimi couldn't decide if she thought the still injured swordsman was stupid or admirable for his determination as the other two berated him for his brash thinking.

Zoro faced the now closer island with his hands on his sword, ready to draw it out at a moment's notice. "While the three of you are busy blabbering and wimping out, I'm placing my thoughts on the battle we're about to face. Luffy told me to bring her back and I'll do just that. Now let's go!"

Yukimi got up from her seat and stretched, ' _Might as well get ready for anything_.' When the kitsune turned her waist to pop her spine, making her face away from the trio, she heard two identical bangs on a skull before a thud rocked the small ship. Yukimi turned back only to see Zoro dazed on the deck with Johnny and Usopp standing over him with two small wooden mallets. "What the hell are you two doing?!"

"Preventing our deaths!" Usopp answered putting away the mallets.

"We can't have big bro doing something so stupid and jeopardizing this mission to get big sis Nami back!" Johnny explained bringing out some rope. Then the two quickly tied the slowly coming to swordsman.

Zoro shook his head after the two wimps finished tying him up. He glared at the two responsible for his predicament. "What the hell?! Untie me!"

"Forget it, big bro. It's for your own good," Johnny said as he steered the ship away from Arlong Park.

"Yukimi."

Said kitsune looked over at the irritated swordsman, "Yeah?"

Zoro moved his head in a 'come here' gesture. When Yukimi crouched next to him, he tried moving his arms but couldn't from their bound state behind his back. "Can't you untie me?"

Yukimi frowned, "I could..."

"Then why not do it?! Luffy told us we gotta get Nami back no matter what. She could be right there in Arlong Park right now, but those two wimps are making it difficult in getting her back!" Zoro hissed as he watched Arlong's hideout move behind the ship and began to grow smaller.

Yukimi glanced at Usopp and Johnny as they moved their ship along the coast, scanning for the Going Merry. "I do agree that Nami could be there," Yukimi slowly started as she faced Zoro again. "But what if she's not there? But, then again..." The kitsune looked thoughtful as she glanced to the side with a finger to her lips. "I could go over there to recon and if I find Nami, I could bring her back. Though if I run into any fishman, I can knock 'em out before some alarm goes off." Yukimi tilted her head to the side as she closed her eyes for a moment. "Wonder how I'd fare up against a fishman."

During this Yukimi didn't realize she had stopped whispering and had gradually gotten a little louder as she spoke. Johnny and Usopp glanced at each other with a newfound worry before quietly nodding to each other.

As Zoro again tried to move his arms feeling the rope tighten and strain against his attempts, he paused eyeing a certain two creep behind the unaware kitsune in front of him. Before he could warn Yukimi the other two quickly tackled her.

The albino let out a surprised grunt as she hit the deck. Yukimi looked over her shoulder up at the two idiots on her back. "What the hell are you doing?! Get the fuck off me!" Yukimi growled as her ears laid flat against her white hair.

"No can do Yukimi. You were going to untie Zoro and then go into Arlong Park with him!" Usopp said from on her back as Johnny grabbed her arms and begin to tie her up like Zoro.

"Will you just get the hell off of me! Your combined weight is fucking hurting my ribs!" Yukimi half wheezed half grunted. Before the albino knew it, she was sitting next to Zoro who was beyond irritated.

"This is just great! Now neither of us can do anything while these spineless cowards-"

"Make idiotic decisions without us? I agree," Yukimi deadpanned.

Usopp was gazing through his binoculars towards the island when he grinned, "Look! There's the Going Merry!" He lowered his binoculars as he pointed to said goat themed ship. "It's right over there!"

"Then we just have to find her. She must be here somewhere on this island," Johnny suggested looking over his map.

"What are you two idiots think you are doing?! Untie me this instant! I am not the _enemy_!" Zoro practically shouted.

Yukimi flinched away from the angry swordsman, "Don't forget about me you ear splitting idiot! Thanks for making my ears ring loudly!"

Zoro appeared to not have heard her as he shouted again, "Untie me dammit!"

Yukimi shoved her feet as best she could at Zoro, making him cringe in pain from his injury. "Tone down your volume idiot! How do you like it when someone yells in _your_ sensitive ears?! Huh?! Ya jerk!"

Before Zoro could retort or even glare at the kitsune Usopp walked over to them with a smile, making the swordsman glare at him instead.

"Zoro, you're way too hurt to be any help when we go ashore," Usopp placed his hand on Zoro's bandaged chest, causing him plenty of pain. "Just sit back and relax alright?" Usopp chuckled before continuing, "Just rest up and you can help next time!" The sniper then stood up oblivious as Zoro thought up too many ways to cut him up into a thousand pieces.

Yukimi rolled her eyes as the cowardly sniper crossed his arms, looking like he was about to boast about something.

"Fear not lady and gentlemen! I will bring the girl back safely!" Usopp began laughing causing everyone to sweatdrop.

"Looks like...skipping Arlong Park sure cheered you up," Johnny deadpanned behind him.

"Prepare the anchor! Bring us alongside the Going Merry!" Usopp pointed toward the goat looking ship.

Johnny grabbed the tiller and began steering, "Aye!"

Usopp breathed in before letting out a sigh, "Ah yes. Now we're underway, it's time to give a name to this voyage. I think I shall call it: ' _The Great Adventures of Captain Usopp!_ '"

Yukimi raised a brow in exasperation, ' _Does he always talk like that? Then again, he did try introducing himself as the captain back at the Baratie._ ' The kitsune stopped musing when Usopp hastily ducked down with a frightened look.

Johnny quickly came over. "What is it? What did you see?" Instead of getting a verbal response, Usopp pointed over his shoulder toward the occupied pier.

Yukimi looked at the pier spotting three fishmen. "Hm? They look big," she muttered under her breath as the cowardly duo quietly steered the small ship past the pier.

Zoro, on the other hand, glared at the two before erupting again, "Why didn't we just dock right there?!"

Johnny and Usopp quickly shushed him not wanting any unwanted attention on them. "Didn't you see that? There were three fishmen over there! It's Arlong's crew! We can't stay here!"

"Do not yell at me!" Zoro kicked Usopp's face in, now officially ticked off.

Yukimi smirked at Zoro's work of smashing the sniper's face in. "You know, with you yelling at poor ol' Zoro here, you're practically inviting attention from the sharks that are swimming over here right now," the kitsune nodded toward two of the three fishmen now fast approaching them.

Johnny and Usopp quickly began sweating bullets as Zoro and Yukimi tried again to get out of their restraints, to no avail. The cowardly duo scrambled over to the side opposite of the fishmen and took a flying leap overboard.

"What the hell?! Don't just leave us like this ya idiots!" Yukimi shouted irritated.

"Get back here and untie us dammit!" Zoro yelled after them now wishing to kill them.

Yukimi strained to move her hand right above her kunai pouch. "Just a little closer and I think I can cut us out, Zoro." Just as her fingers touched the clasp the ship rocked unsteadily as the two fishmen jumped on board.

"Dammit, too late Yukimi," Zoro growled between his teeth as the fishmen leered at them, making her stop.

"There's just these two?" the big fishman wondered as they looked them over.

"What an odd couple," the slim fishman commented as Yukimi glared at him since he was closer to her.

"What of it? Better back off before I kick your ass!" Yukimi snapped at the fishman, feeling irritable.

The fishman grinned back, "Feisty thing huh?" He then looked over to Zoro. "And where did you guys come from? Someone ditched you?"

Zoro clenched his teeth thinking up more ways to maim the two who abandoned them, "Yeah...something like that..."

"Anyway, I think we should take them to Arlong," the big fishman suggested as he steered the ship in the direction of Arlong Park.

' _Oh, would you look at that. Now that those two left us for dead, we get to go to the one place we wanted to go to,_ ' Yukimi thought as the fishmen began moving the small ship to its new destination. ' _But oh joy! Now we have a fucking_ escort _now!_ ' Yukimi huffed as her ears lowered in a somewhat defeated way as she forced herself to relax next to her now fellow prisoner. "Looks like we'll get to have an audience with Arlong whether we want to or not," the kitsune muttered to Zoro making him look over to her.

Zoro frowned in thought as he looked up now seeing the large gate to Arlong Park in front of them.

*^.^*


End file.
